Smacking Children indefensible - NCWNZ
“The Youth Affairs Minister John Tamihere’s defence of smacking is outrageous, considering his role as advocate for
children and youth,” says Beryl Anderson, the new President of the National Council of Women of New Zealand (NCWNZ).
“Children have a right to the same protection from physical assault as adults,” she says.
NCWNZ supports the campaign to End Physical Punishment of Children (EPOCH). Internationally there is a clear linkage
between changing the law to prohibit physical punishment of children, and reduction of levels of child abuse and child
deaths as a result of abuse. “Our tolerance for violence needs to be reduced,” says Ms Anderson, “and violence is not an
acceptable nor effective way to discipline children”.
NCWNZ has had policy since 1997 to repeal s.59 of the Crimes Act 1961, which allows parents to use so-called ‘reasonable
force’ in disciplining their children. This policy is consistent with our obligations as signatories of the United
Nations Convention of the Rights of the Child. Our current law is an embarrassment to us internationally, as well as bad
for our children and families. It needs to be changed.