-ahead of human rights review

Civil society groups addressing the issue of corporal punishment recently debated whether it needs to be taken off the statute books here while alternative disciplinary methods are explored.

Corporal punishment was summed up as state sanctioned violence against children by activist Vidyaratha Kissoon  and while the focus of the discussions was on abolishing it in schools, the forum also included perspectives about whether children should be subjected to such punishment within their homes.

Kissoon, of Help & Shelter, said people need to be concerned about the status quo, noting that corporal punishment is a violation of the rights of children whether it is handed down at schools and/or at home. He said his organization along with Every Child Guyana, Red Thread and a few others have done work in this area and found that positive changes can be made.

Kissoon led the discussion on corporal punishment and recalled that former AFC Member of Parliament Chantelle Smith had tabled a motion to abolish corporal punishment in schools in 2006; the debate, he said, has been raging much longer. He noted that proponents of abolition point to the violations attached to corporal punishment while others in favour have insisted on “keeping the rod.” He said there are some people who say the ‘rod of correction’ is still needed.

“…Beating of children in school is the only form of state sanctioned violence against a person”, Kissoon stated. Referring to the Juvenile Offenders (Amendment) Bill that was tabled recently to remove whipping as a punishment for children on the books, he said there was no public outcry because the court system hardly hands down such sentences. However, he said this was only one small move, adding that the education regulations need to be amended to end corporal punishment in schools.

Government has said the dialogue on corporal punishment is ongoing, but Kissoon noted that he is unaware of where these discussions are taking place. He said the last time the administration consulted the public on the issue was since 2008, adding that consultations should take place before the administration appears before the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) in September.

According to him, corporal punishment must be taken off the statute books and the list of alternative disciplinary methods developed in 2001 by the Ministry of Education should be updated and introduced into the school system, monitored and supported. He argued that teacher training must incorporate ways of resolving conflict, and that the ministry must promote a more humane environment in the school system. Further, he said a public education campaign on the issue is also critical.

Kissoon said Smith had found in her research several years ago that many teachers are against corporal punishment, but that they work in an environment where they are expected to discipline children in that manner. He said too that many have also not examined their own feelings about corporal punishment. He noted that the early childhood education programme in this country had no provisions for corporal punishment, and emphasized that alternative methods need to be explored.

Based on the work they have done over the years, he said many non-governmental organizations have realized that they need to work with parents as well. He said people should be able to reflect on the challenges of parenting; acquire knowledge about child development; understand the definition of abuse and to reflect on cultural and personal factors regarding the rights of children. According to him, programmes incorporating such factors have seen positive changes in many communities.

The civil society forum was organized by the Society Against Sexual Orientation Discrimination (SASOD) to stimulate interest on some of the issues which Guyana will report on next month at the United Nations Human Rights Council, in the framework of the UPR.