Ending corporal punishment of children in Swaziland

Awareness-raising and public educationThe Swazi government should initiate and support public awareness and educationcampaigns to promote positive, non-violent methods of child-rearing. This couldbe done in close collaboration with NGOs and CBOs working for children’s rights,political and traditional leaders, faith-based organisations, educational institutionsand international donor organisations. Children themselves could play an importantrole in these efforts. However, before embarking on awareness and educationcampaigns, the government needs to secure financial and human resources toimplement a programme that can be sustained in the long-term. In line with this,new comprehensive legislation on children should spell out the need for therelevant government departments to undertake all reasonable steps to ensure thatpublic education and awareness-raising on non-violent methods of child-rearing areimplemented across the country.In order to ensure that children are protected from corporal punishment in schools,the Swazi government needs to allocate financial and human resources to developmanuals on how to implement non-violent methods of discipline in the classroomand to ensure that teachers receive training on children’s rights and alternatives tocorporal punishment. Training programmes for law enforcement officials and otherofficials caring for children should be implemented.It should be explored how teacher training institutions could provide in-depthtraining on concepts such as children’s rights, and ensure extensive training on howteachers can manage classroom discipline in a positive, non-violent manner.The Swazi government, children’s rights organisations and the media shouldstrengthen efforts to create an understanding of and respect for children’s rights. Itis less likely that adults will use corporal punishment and other forms of humiliatingand degrading punishment of children in a society where the understanding of andrespect for children’s rights are well developed.MediaThe media could play an important role to raise awareness on children’s rights,including the rights of children not to be exposed to corporal punishment andother forms of humiliating and degrading punishment. It could also become akey partner in campaigns to raise awareness on alternative, non-violent forms ofdiscipline. It could play an important role in monitoring how the government fulfillsits obligations under the CRC.Children’s participationChildren have the right to be involved in processes and decisions that affectthem. Children can provide valuable information and opinions, which shouldbe taken into consideration when developing and implementing legislation andinterventions to abolish corporal punishment and other forms of humiliating anddegrading punishment of children. Children could also play an active part in theimplementation of these interventions.31