Tajikistan Bans Corporal Punishment for Children

Tajikistan has become the 67th country to ban corporal punishment of children. This law, enacted in June, protects the country's 4 million children from any violent discipline at home or school. “These new policy changes represent a remarkable advancement in child protection in Tajikistan and demonstrate the Government’s strong commitment to respecting children's dignity and physical integrity. The legislative changes are a major step forward. Still, much work remains to ensure that these measures lead to positive change in every child’s life,” said Arthur van Diesen, UNICEF Representative for Tajikistan. Corporal punishment affects approximately 330 million children worldwide, and has severe consequences for their health, development, and emotional wellbeing. This can impair the development of the brain and nervous system, leading to long-term behavioral and mental health problems. The economic cost of child abuse is $7 trillion a year, or about 8% of global GDP. Tajikistan will take part in the upcoming Global Ministerial Conference on Ending Violence against Children, which will be held on November 7-8, in Bogota, Colombia.