Belgium is too tolerant of corporal punishment, says Council

Belgian legislation is not clear enough when it comes to the ban on the physical punishment of children, says the Council of Europe. "The corporal punishment of children, although forbidden by Belgian law, is not prohibited in a clear, binding and precise manner,” the Council ruled.

In February 2013, the British NGO Association for the Protection of All Children (APPROACH) filed a complaint with the Council of Europe against seven member states, including Belgium, because of "the lack of explicit and effective prohibition of all corporal punishment of children, in the family, schools and other settings." The Council of Europe last week sided with APPROACH, stating that Belgium, Ireland, Slovenia and Czech Republic need to do more to protect children’s rights.

The Council of Europe has been working to see the corporal punishment of children outlawed in each of its 47 member countries. It is responsible for monitoring the application of the European Social Charter, which states that violence against children, including corporal punishment, is a major violation of their human rights, and equal protection under the law must be guaranteed to them.