Only three Latin American countries prohibit child physical punishment

What would we think if we talked about 80,000 children dying a year due to physical violence? Some figures that hit any receiver. If we say that those 80,000 deaths are counted only in the Americas, we can imagine the global tragedy for millions of children.

In Latin America, data indicates that six million children suffer severe violence. Only Uruguay, Venezuela and Costa Rica prohibit all forms of punishment for persons under 18, one of the recommendations of the United Nations and that fortunately is being extended to the legal level.

These figures, which we must understand as abused, beaten, insulted, despised children, have been evidenced by Plan Internacional, a development development organization that works in 48 developing countries in Africa, Asia and America.

It helps them to denounce this tragic situation and to remind everyone that there is still a long way to go in the suppression of mistreatment and physical punishment, not only of legal protection, but also of legal vacuum and social acceptance.

Plans to reduce child violence in Latin America

We talk about Latin America because they are the latest data that this organization has offered, but I fear that the conclusions would not be very different if we go to those other continents.

With this objective of raising awareness among children themselves, their families and the various institutions of the State about this problem, Plan Internacional has been developing since 2007 the project "Reduction of Domestic Violence towards children and young people in the Americas".

Carried out in five countries (El Salvador, Honduras, Dominican Republic, Colombia and Peru), the project has dealt, through public activities and training workshops, with give visibility to child violence.

It is not an isolated action, and from other fronts we try to sensitize society, as we saw claimed by the Ibero-American Commission on Human Rights.

These are actions that could be extended to any environment, since the figures of abuse in rich countries are not much more hopeful.

Laws, an important step, but not the only one

The truth is that even in places where hitting a child is considered a crime, or is unknown (I did not know until recently that this was so in Spain), or it is still difficult to assume this fact, and is that most of society considers that physical punishment is acceptable.

But hitting a child has serious consequences, both emotional and physical, and cannot be tolerated. Hitting is not a good way to educate, it is a resource that cancels us as protective and responsible parents.

Establishing these terms of prohibition in laws is a first step to eradicate the violence that is often hidden, and a duty of the authorities.

Some time ago I was surprised by the fact that the rights of animals were claimed in our world before those of children, which shows the little consideration that little ones have historically received.

In the end, the laws will not be the ones that solve the problem, since it is we as parents and as responsible citizens who have to show the total rejection of this violence and the search for alternatives in the way of educating to our kids. But it is a first step.

That is why I think it is perfect that this situation of institutional and social acceptance of child abuse be denounced, and that the education and awareness of families be worked on. A job and a wish that could be extended to every country and every corner of every home. The ghastly figures of abused children around the world They demonstrate this need.