Prohibiting corporal punishment of children in the Caribbean ...

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Country Reports: Independent statesGRENADAChild population (0-17): 35,000 (UNICEF, 2010)Current legality of corporal punishmentHome (lawful): Article 54(i) of the Criminal Code allows forthe use of “justifiable force” under the “authority to correct achild, servant or similar person for misconduct”. Provisionsagainst violence and abuse in the Child Protection Act (1998),the Domestic Violence Act (2001) and the Criminal Codeare not interpreted as prohibiting corporal punishment inchildrearing.Schools (lawful): The Education Act (2002) and Act No.11(2003) allow corporal punishment in schools.Penal system – sentence for crime (lawful): The CriminalCode includes flogging and whipping as sentences for crime(article 70); boys aged 7-15 cannot be sentenced to floggingbut may be sentenced in lieu to whipping (article 75), andwhipping can be ordered in lieu of imprisonment for boys ofthis age (article 78). The Code includes in its provisions for“justifiable force” that which is used under the authority toexecute the lawful sentence or order of a Court (article 54(b)).Judicial corporal punishment is governed by the CorporalPunishment (Caning) Ordinance (1960); it may be carried outonly after medical examination and under the supervision ofa prison official.Penal system – disciplinary measure in penal institutions(lawful): Corporal punishment is lawful but we have nodetails of relevant legislation. Article 54 of the Criminal Codeapplies (see above).Alternative care settings (partial prohibition): TheRequirements of the Approval and Licensing of Child CareHomes, Grenada Bureau of Standards GDS 654:2002 prohibitcorporal punishment of children in care institutions, but it islawful in other forms of care.Law reform under wayAs an OECS member state, Grenada will have received the draftBills of the Family Law Reform Project for consideration (seepage 26). In 2008, the Government indicated its commitmentto enacting the Child Justice Bill, which had been reviewed bythe Ministry of Social Development and was expected to be“piloted” during 2008. 14Law reform necessary to achieveprohibition in GrenadaIslam and corporal punishment in alternative careRepeal of the provision for “justifiable force” underthe “authority to correct” (in Criminal Code); repealof provisions authorising corporal punishment (inEducation Act, Act No. 11, Corporal Punishment(Caning) Ordinance, Criminal Code); explicitprohibition in the home, schools, penal system andalternative care settings.Human rights jurisprudence on corporal punishmentTreaty body recommendations/observations: Committee on the Rights of the Child (2010, 2000); 15 Human RightsCommittee (2009) 16UPR (2010): Government rejected recommendations to prohibit, stating that Government could not prohibit it since it ispermissible under law. 1714 7 August 2009, CRC/C/GRD/2, Second state party report to the Committee on the Rights of the Child, para. 2215 22 June 2010, CRC/C/GRD/CO/2, Concluding observations on second report, paras. 5, 6, 32, 33, 59 and 60; 28 February 2000, CRC/C/15/Add.121,Concluding observations on initial report, paras. 21 and 2816 14 August 2009, CCPR/C/GRD/CO/1, Concluding observations in the absence of a report, para. 1117 14 May 2010, A/HRC/WG.6/8/L.11, Report of the Working Group, para. 25; 1 October 2010, A/HRC/15/L.10, Report of the Human Rights Council on itsfifteenth session, para. 5038 Prohibiting corporal punishment of children in the Caribbean:
GUYANACountry Reports: Independent statesChild population (0-17): 303,000 (UNICEF, 2010)Current legality of corporal punishmentHome (lawful): Article 9 of the Criminal Law (Offences)Act (1894) confirms “the right of the guardian or teacherof a child to administer reasonable and proper punishmentto the child”; there is a similar provision in article 7 of theSummary Jurisdiction (Offences) Act (1894). Provisionsagainst violence and abuse in the Infancy Act, the JuvenileOffenders Act (1931), the Domestic Violence Act (1996), theConstitution (1980) and the Protection of Children Act (2009)are not interpreted as prohibiting corporal punishment inchildrearing.Schools (lawful): Article 9 of the Criminal Law (Offences)Act and article 7 of the Summary Jurisdiction (Offences) Actapply (see above). Ministerial Guidelines (2002) state thatcorporal punishment must be administered only by the headteacher, deputy head teacher or designated senior teacherand only for certain offences (including fighting and use ofindecent language); boys should be punished on their handsor buttocks, girls on their hands; the punishments should beinflicted with a cane or strap no longer than 24 inches and inthe presence of other learners, and all punishments should berecorded in the Misdemeanours Book.Law reform under wayPenal system – sentence for crime (partial prohibition):The provision in article 19 of the Juvenile Offenders Act (1931)for judicial whipping of boys under 17 was repealed by theJuvenile Offenders (Amendment) Act (2010), but boys aged 17are tried as adults and may be flogged under the Criminal Law(Offences) Act (articles 11, 57, 59 and 223) and the SummaryJurisdiction (Offences) Act (articles 12, 72, 73, 138, 145, 147and 166). The Whipping and Flogging Act (1922) allows forflogging up to 24 strokes, to be carried out in a prison where amedical official must be present (articles 3 and 4).Penal system – disciplinary measure in penal institutions(partial prohibition): The provision in article 20 of theTraining Schools Act (1907) for whipping as a disciplinarymeasure was repealed by the Training Schools (Amendment)Act (2010, article 2). However, persons aged 17 may be sent toprison where flogging is lawful under article 37 of the PrisonAct (1957).Alternative care settings (?partial prohibition): The ChildCare and Development Services Act (2011) prohibits corporalpunishment. We have yet to confirm to which forms of carethe prohibition applies and that it overrides article 9 of theCriminal Law (Offences) Act and article 7 of the SummaryJurisdiction (Offences) Act.In 2010, the possibility of including prohibition in the Education Bill was under discussion, but it appears that no furtherprogress has been made.Human rights jurisprudence on corporalpunishmentTreaty body recommendations/observations: Committee on the Rightsof the Child (2004); 18 Committee Against Torture (2006); 19 Human RightsCommittee (2000) 20UPR (2010): Government neither accepted nor rejected recommendationsto prohibit but drew attention to reforms in the penal system and defendedcorporal punishment in other settings. 21Law Islam reform and corporal necessary punishment to inachieve alternativeprohibition in GuyanaRepeal of right “to administerreasonable and proper punishment”and provisions for judicial flogging (inCriminal Law (Offences) Act, SummaryJurisdiction (Offences) Act, Whippingand Flogging Act); explicit prohibitionin the home, schools, penal system andalternative care settings.18 26 February 2004, CRC/C/15/Add.224, Concluding observations on initial report, paras. 31 and 3219 7 December 2006, CAT/C/GUY/CO/1, Concluding observations on initial report, para. 1320 25 April 2000, CCPR/C/79/Add.121, Concluding observations on second report, para. 1221 14 May 2010, A/HRC/WG.6/8/L.13, Report of the Working Group, paras. 70(36)-(42); 13 September 2010, A/HRC/15/14/Add.1, Report of the WorkingGroup: Addendum, paras. 9, 53 and 54; 1 October 2010, A/HRC/15/L.10, Report of the Human Rights Council on its fifteenth session, para. 576progress report 2012 39
Page 4 and 5: MessagesJean ZermattenI am always s
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