The President of the Republic demanded this Wednesday a change of mentality and “zero tolerance” to the application of corporal punishment to children. Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa also highlighted that “The physical punishment of children is an intolerable form of violence at all levels and dimensions” and argued that these violent behaviors have “consequences for child development.
In a video message recorded for the conference “Nem Mais Uma Palmada — For the elimination of corporal punishment”, promoted by the Instituto de Apoio à Criança, at the Champalimaud Foundation, in Lisbon, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa joined the launch of the strategy to a new national campaign in defense of the rights of children and the protection of their physical and mental integrity.
“There is still much to be done. How is it possible that there are certain contexts in which the use of corporal punishment against children is still tolerated? How is it possible in 2022?” asked the president, while praising the Instituto de Apoio à Criança for the invitation “to reflect on a reality that has been penalized by a law of the Penal Code since 2007”.
The same opinion was defended by the president of the National Commission for the Promotion of the Rights and Protection of Children and Youth (CNPDPCJ), Hacienda Rosário, who, recalling Children’s Day, called for an end to the “mistreatment” of children and teenagers. .youth – noting that “Intrafamily violence has increased a lot during the pandemic” of Covid-19- and called for the adoption of a positive parenting culture.
For her part, the Ombudsman, Maria Lúcia Amaral, preferred to highlight the “happy path” traveled in recent decades in defense of children’s rights and that the Portuguese community should be proud of the advances in public policies of protection of children’s rights. childhood, if compared to the 60s or 70s of the last century, too marked by infant mortality or child labour.
“I am the current head of a State institution that, due to the breadth of its functions and the atypical nature of its functions, is not always well known and much less understood. If there is any reason for it to exist as a state institution, that reason has everything to do with institutions such as the Instituto de Apoio à Criança and initiatives such as the one carried out here today,” said the Ombudsman, continuing: “This road in Portugal has no setbacks”.
The president of the Instituto de Apoio à Criança has pointed out that the resolution of conflicts through corporal punishment of children and young people also has “negative repercussions” in other areas, such as ‘bullying’ and domestic violence. Dulce Rocha – who could not be present and sent a speech that was read by the organization’s treasurer, Matilde Sirgado – also explained the strategic direction of the new campaign.
“In a first phase we sought the support of three entities: the President of the Republic, the Ombudsman’s Office and the president of the CNPDPCJ. In a second phase, we will seek the support of governments and municipalities to help us transform this scenario of a certain tolerance for violence”, he said and concluded: “The right to non-violence is a structuring of the rule of law. Let this be a crime that definitely goes unpunished. We cannot remain indifferent.”
Source: Observadora
