The World Health Organization (WHO) has identified corporal punishment as a global public health concern, highlighting its potential to negatively affect children’s well-being. The WHO has determined that physical punishment or scolding children for their mistakes can be significantly detrimental to their physical and mental health and may also foster criminal behavior.
A survey carried out by the WHO in 49 low- and middle-income countries revealed that children exposed to corporal punishment—defined as being hit or given a punishment that aims to cause a degree of pain or discomfort, regardless of how mild—were found to have a 24 percent lower developmental potential compared to those who were not subjected to such discipline. Globally, approximately 1.2 billion children experience physical punishment annually. The report indicates that within the last month, 17 percent of children who had been physically punished were subjected to severe forms of discipline, such as being struck on the head, face, or ears, or hit with significant force and repetition.
Parents, teachers, and childcare providers often explain their actions by saying they want to correct their children and maintain discipline. Many parents believe that physically disciplining their children is an expression of love, and is intended to prevent their children from going astray. However, such reasoning is not supported by evidence.
According to the WHO, there is now clear scientific evidence that physical punishment presents a range of health risks for children, offering no benefits to their behavior, development, or well-being, nor any advantages for parents or society. Clinical psychologists suggest that resorting to physical punishment can, in fact, intensify feelings of anger and stubbornness in children. Therefore, physical punishment is not the appropriate solution.
Alternative methods are recommended in place of physical punishment, including rational discussions where children are lovingly explained why their behavior is inappropriate and what its consequences might be, and also praising and encouraging good behavior to promote its repetition.
The United Nations’ Sustainable Development Agenda 2030 includes multiple goals to end violence against children. Its specific target 16.2 explicitly states that “abuse, exploitation, trafficking and all forms of violence and torture against children must end.” Yet, after five years, progress toward achieving this goal remains limited.
Although physical punishment exists globally and across different cultures, regional variations are evident. For example, around 41 percent of children in Europe and Central Asia are physically punished at home, compared to 75 percent in the Middle East and North Africa. The disparity is even more pronounced in schools, where only 25 percent of children in the Western Pacific region encounter physical punishment during their schooling, compared to over 70 percent in Africa and Central America. Both girls and boys are affected at comparable rates, but in some locations, girls might experience different methods of punishment.
The report also points out that children with disabilities are at increased risk of experiencing physical punishment. Furthermore, the likelihood of physical punishment increases within impoverished communities and communities facing economic or racial discrimination.
Psychological punishment, including shaming, humiliating, and threatening a child, often accompanies physical punishment. In many societies, physical punishment is not perceived as wrong, and it is often associated with religious and cultural traditions.
Presently, 68 out of 193 countries have completely prohibited physical punishment. Sweden was the first nation to enact such a ban in 1979. In the UK, the practice is prohibited in Scotland and Wales, but is still permitted in domestic settings in England and Northern Ireland.
The report emphasizes the need to enforce laws and also promote awareness campaigns in order to prevent physical punishment. The goal is to educate parents about the negative effects of hitting on children’s mental and emotional health, and provide them with alternative teaching approaches rooted in love and understanding. Children learn by example; therefore, if parents wish for their children to exhibit good behavior, they must first model that behavior themselves. The report suggests that if parents knew about different, more effective methods of disciplining children, they would use them.