As today marks the International Day to End Corporal Punishment, “Save the Children Jordan” revealed that three out of "Three out of every four children worldwide between the ages of two and four are subjected to some form of corporal punishment or psychological violence”.

The non-governmental organization urged the necessity of enhancing positive parenting programs to mitigate this issue in the press statement released today.

Corporal punishment affects over 1.3 billion children worldwide, with legislation still permitting some form of corporal punishment in 134 countries - the organization called to eliminate corporal punishment by 2030.

Since the adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals by the United Nations members in 2015, only 20 countries have banned corporal punishment, compared to thirty countries in the nine years preceding 2015.

The organization noted that achieving the Sustainable Development Goals related to poverty reduction and reducing inequality linked to ending all forms of corporal punishment will take another 60 years unless the current rate of progress is accelerated, according to an analysis made by the organization.

Corporal punishment in Jordan

On a local level, the results of the National Report on Violence against Children for the year 2020, prepared by the National Council for Family Affairs, showed that about 74 percent of children in Jordan were subjected to corporal punishment as a means of discipline.

Although Jordanian legislation prohibits corporal punishment in schools, the Penal Code still "allows types of discipline administered by parents to their children as long as it does not cause harm or injury to them, in accordance with what custom allows."

In this regard, the CEO of Save the Children Jordan, Diala Al-Khamra, stated that protecting children from violence, including corporal punishment, is not only limited to legal texts but also requires strengthening positive parenting programs, parental guidance, as well as providing a safe school and community environment for children.

She also highlighted the positive parenting programs implemented by the organization within its projects in various governorates and camps, emphasizing the role of the local community and religious leaders in guiding parents to adopt positive parenting methods and reduce violence against children.

She also stressed the importance of enhancing awareness-raising campaigns and advocacy to end this problem, and including the voices of children in demands to end violence against them.

*Stay informed with our carefully curated content delivered directly to your inbox. Subscribe to our newsletter for exclusive updates and in-depth analysis. Click here to subscribe.