Source description last updated: 13 October 2020

In brief: The Global Initiative to End All Corporal Punishment of Children, which was launched in Geneva in 2001, worked towards the prohibition and elimination of corporal punishment of children.

In September 2020 the Global Initiative ended its activities and the Global Partnership to End Violence Against Children (End Violence Partnership) will take forward its work.

Coverage on ecoi.net:

Reports for countries of priorities A-E.

Quarterly coverage on ecoi.net.

Mission/Mandate/Objectives:

The Global Initiative to End All Corporal Punishments of Children was a UK registered charity. Its vision was a “world in which all children live a life free from violence”. Its mission was to “end violence against children through universal prohibition and elimination of all corporal punishment [...]”. The Global Initiative to End All Corporal Punishment of Children worked “as a catalyst to end all corporal punishment worldwide by:

1. Conducting and supporting national, regional and international advocacy with accurate information and tailored technical resources, guidance and assistance
2. Providing an up to date and comprehensive knowledge hub with evidence on the legal status of corporal punishment, its prevalence and effects and tools to secure its elimination
3. Providing technical assistance to governments and civil society, supporting them to prohibit and eliminate corporal punishment   
4. Supporting a global movement of almost 2,000 partners and supporters covering all continents” (Global Initiative to End All Corporal Punishment of Children: Who we are, undated)

In September 2020 the Global Initiative ended its activities and the Global Partnership to End Violence Against Children (End Violence Partnership) will take forward its work.

Funding:

“The bulk of the GI’s funding for its core activities has come from Sida [Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency], which has funded the organisation since 2003. Its current three-year grant for the period April 1 2013 to March 31 2016, is SEK1.5 million per year. The Oak Foundation has been funding the GI since 2009, also in three-year grant cycles. The current cycle ends in March 2017 and is for £50,000 per year. [...] The GI is additionally receiving a three-year grant contributing towards core activities from a private donor, total $600,000 – $200,000 per year from April 1 2014 to March 31 2017. Other funders have included the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (NOK1.7 million from 2010 to 2012); Save the Children Sweden has contributed SEK200,000 since 2001 and has also supported joint activities or publications. Plan Sweden provided assistance to the activities related to and the preparation and publication of a progress report for West and Central Africa during 2013/14. UNICEF provided a small grant to support the Caribbean Coalition for the Abolition of Corporal Punishment of Children, also in 2013/14.” (Bower, Carol: Evaluation of the Global Initiative to End All Corporal Punishment of Children, April 2015, p. 31)

Scope of reporting:

Geographic focus: Worldwide.

Thematic focus: Protection of children in law and society. (Global Initiative to End All Corporal Punishment of Children: Who we are, undated)

Methodology:

“We contribute to partnerships, working groups and forums to ensure the global agenda to end violence against children includes prohibiting and eliminating all corporal punishment. We ensure governments are aware of their obligation to protect children from corporal punishment, including full legal prohibition, and support government officials and civil society actors advocating for reform. [...] We monitor all research on children’s experiences of corporal punishment, its impact on children and societies, and the benefits of prohibiting and eliminating it. We support governments and civil society actors with legal assessments [...] We share learning from the experience of our partners all over the world [...] We provide advice and support in person, including national workshops, and remotely [...]” (Global Initiative to End All Corporal Punishment of Children: For a world where children can grow free from corporal punishment, undated, p. 5-6)

“The Global Initiative bases its analyses on a total of 199 states: all states parties to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child except Holy See, plus the Republic of Kosovo, Taiwan, USA and Western Sahara. Child population figures are from UNICEF 2015 and, where these are unavailable, Government of the Republic of Kosovo, 2015, Ministry of Interior, 2015 (Taiwan) and UNICEF 2013 (Western Sahara).” (Global Initiative to End All Corporal Punishment of Children: Global report 2019; Progress towards ending corporal punishment of children, February 2020, p. 2)

Languages of publications:

English

Further reading / links:

Bower, Carol: Evaluation of the Global Initiative to End All Corporal Punishment of Children, 2015
https://resourcecentre.savethechildren.net/node/9055/pdf/gi-evaluation_pdf_for_distribution_april_2015.pdf



All links accessed 13 October 2020.