The National Child Protection Authority (NCPA) warns that both short-term and long-term physical and psychological punishment can negatively impact a child’s personality development.
The NCPA made the statement in a message marking the International Day to End Corporal Punishment on April 30.
Chairperson Preethi Inoka Ranasinghe said research has clearly established the harmful effects of corporal punishment used to discipline children.
“For decades, parents, elders and teachers have used various forms of physical punishment to discipline children, making it a socially and culturally accepted practice both at home and in schools,” she said.
She noted that under Article 19 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), children have the right to be protected from all forms of abuse and neglect, adding that Sri Lanka has been bound by this obligation since 1990.
The NCPA also pointed out that Article 11 of the Constitution of 1978, guarantees protection from cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, while legal provisions including Section 308 (A) of the Penal Code and Education Ministry circulars prohibit the use of physical or psychological punishment in disciplining children.
The authority stressed that corporal punishment amounts to physical abuse and should not be used under any circumstances.
It further noted that complaints related to physical violence are the second most reported category received by the NCPA, with between 2,000 and 2,500 such incidents recorded annually. (Newswire)