Protect children from all forms of abuse, neglect, exploitation and violence

 The challenge and progress

Violent methods of discipline are widespread

Violent discipline is defined as actions taken by a parent or caregiver that are intended to cause a child physical pain or emotional distress as a way to correct behaviour and act as a deterrent. It can take two forms: psychological aggression and physical, or corporal, punishment.

The former includes shouting, yelling and screaming at the child, and addressing her or him with offensive names. Physical or corporal punishment comprises actions intended to cause the child physical pain or discomfort but not injuries. It includes shaking the child,slapping or hitting him or her on the hand, arm, leg or bottom,hitting the child on the face, head or ears, or hitting the child hard or repeatedly.

Data from 37 countries show that eighty-six per cent of children aged 2-14 years experience violent discipline (physical punishment and/or psychological aggression). Two out of three children are subject to physical punishment. These estimates are based on 37 countries with available data representing 9% of the world population.

High proportions of children aged 2-14 years experience both physical punishment and psychological aggression.

Most children are actually subject to both methods of violent discipline.

Percentage of children aged 2-14 years who experience both physical punishment and psychological aggression, percentage of children aged 2-14 years who experience only physical punishment and percentage of children aged 2-14 years who experience only psychological aggression

In most of the countries with available data, no significant differences in the use of violent discipline can be observed between boys and girls

In almost all the 35 countries with available data, boys are slightly more likely to receive a violent discipline than girls, but, with the exception of some countries in CEE/CIS, these differences are overall not significant (data by gender are available for 35 of the total 37 countries with available data covering 7% of the population of developing countries and 7% of the world population).

Percentage of children aged 2-14 years who experience any form of violent discipline (physical and/or psychological), by gender

In most of the countries with available data, no significant differences in the use of violent discipline exists between households from poorest 60% of the population and households from the richest 40%(data by quintile are available for 32 of the total 37 countries with available data covering 8% of the population of developing countries and 8% of the world population)

Note for the graph: a ratio of 1.0 indicates that the prevalence of violent discipline in the two groups is equal. Ratios above 1.0 indicate that prevalence is higher in the poorest 60% of the population; ratios below 1.0 indicate that prevalence is lower in the poorest 60% of the population. In this graph, ratios between the values of 0.96 and 1.07 are NOT considered indicative of significant differences.

Ratio poorest 60% of the population over richest 40% of the population

Physical punishment is a widespread practice even where is not approved by mothers/caretakers

 In 35 countries with available data, the percentage of mothers/caretakers who think that physical punishment is needed to raise a child varies significantly across countries, but it is systematically lower than the percentage of children aged 2-14 years who are subject to this discipline method. The existence of differences between mothers/caretakers’ attitudes and the use of physical punishment may reflect the perceived absence - by the mothers/caretakers - of alternative methods for disciplining children. This can also be due to the fact that mothers/caretakers are more or less in charge of the children discipline. Fathers, elder siblings or other relatives living in the household may be those who use physical punishment while mothers/caretakers may not necessarily support such practices.     

Percentage of children aged 2-14 years who experience physical punishment and percentage of mothers/caretakers who think that a child needs to be physically punished