Sri Lanka to prohibit Corporal Punishment in all settings

April 30, 2024 at 10:01 AM

The Government of Sri Lanka has taken measures to prohibit corporal punishment in all spheres.

Taking to ‘X’, President Ranil Wickremesinghe announced that the Cabinet has approved amendments to the Penal Code and Criminal Procedure Code to prohibit corporal punishment in all spheres.

Pointing out that UNCRC Article 19 urges protection against all forms of violence towards children, he said the Committee on the Rights of the Child, in General Comment No. 8, stresses that corporal punishment must be prohibited in all settings.

President Wickremesinghe further said that the Cabinet approval paves the way for legal protections to ensure that no child in Sri Lanka suffers physical or mental violence, aligning with the government’s commitment to safeguard the rights and well-being of every child.

The President added that the measures have been taken in view of the ‘International Day to End Corporal Punishment’, which is commemorated on April 30. (Newswire)