The Czech Ministry of Justice has put forth a proposal to amend the Civil Code in order to explicitly prohibit the corporal punishment of children. Although the current Czech law does not allow for physical or psychological punishment of children, the lack of explicit language in the Civil Code has contributed to a high tolerance level for such behavior.

The amendment, set to be presented this summer, aims to clarify that corporal punishment of children is unacceptable in Czech society, rather than criminalizing parents or imposing penalties.

The proposed amendment is based on international treaties that the Czech Republic has signed, including the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. The Civil Code currently states that “educational methods can only be used to the extent appropriate to the circumstances, does not endanger the health or development of the child, and does not affect the child’s dignity.”

The Ministry has developed two versions of the amendment. The first version includes additional language in the section on educational methods, explicitly stating that “corporal punishment, psychological abuse, and other humiliating measures affect the child’s dignity.” The second version incorporates a provision in the section on parental responsibility, affirming the child’s right to a development free from corporal punishment and psychological abuse and making it a duty of parents.

Notably, the Czech Republic is among the few countries in the European Union that does not have explicit language in its laws regarding the unacceptability of corporal punishment of children. A survey conducted in 2018 revealed that 40% of Czech respondents did not consider slapping or spanking as physical punishment, and 63% admitted to employing such measures on their own children. However, numerous studies have shown that such forms of punishment have no positive effects on children.

The proposed amendment serves as a crucial step towards safeguarding the rights and well-being of children in the Czech Republic, aligning the country’s laws with international standards and promoting a culture of non-violence in child-rearing.

Article by Prague Forum