According to the Global Initiative to End All Corporal Punishment of Children, at least 68 per cent of children aged two to 14 have experienced physical punishment, including being hit or slapped on the face, head or ears. The worst situation is in Egypt, as data released by Unicef in 2015 showed that 93 per cent of children in the country are subjected to corporal punishment for their actions.
Additionally, 41 per cent of mothers and caregivers believe that such punishment is necessary when raising children.
A poll conducted by the research group YouGov in the UAE showed similar results, with 53 per cent of respondents agreeing that parents should have the right to ‘discipline’ their children, including physical punishment.
But, measures are being taken around the world to reduce the incidents of corporal punishement. According to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, 51 countries have prohibited all forms of corporal punishment of children, including at home. Additionally, at least 55 more countries have expressed a commitment to full prohibition.
