Laws against physically punishing children have been used to educate parents rather than prosecute them. Jackie Cosh reports
Aban on smacking children was implemented in Sweden in 1979. Since then only four children have been killed after being assaulted by an adult, and only one of these was at the hands of a parent - one child in 23 years, compared with Britain's one child a week.
Last year the Global Initiative to End All Corporal Punishment was launched in Geneva. Endorsed by both UNICEF and UNESCO, it is made up of prominent individuals from children's organisations worldwide. Its members call on governments to declare their opposition to corporal punishment of children and to set a timetable for eliminating corporal punishment.
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