Concourt makes landmark ruling

The constitutional court has outlawed corporal punishment with effect from the 3rd of April 2019. Essentially this means that all persons at home, school or anywhere within Zimbabwe who perpetrate acts of corporal punishment on juveniles will be liable to prosecution.

The ban comes as a welcome development in the wake of rampant physical child abuse being experienced in the country. It is no wonder that some children were exhibiting signs of trauma as a result of physical abuse at the hands of guardians and school authorities.

Recently a disturbing video surfaced from the neighboring South Africa in which a pre school teacher is seen assaulting little children with open hands and at one point stepping on the poor child’s face. The video caused outrage with most people calling for the arrest of the teacher.

Although the incident occurred in South Africa, most people took it as an eye opener to the physical torture that juveniles are prone to. The ban on corporal punishment thus comes as a relief to most parents and the juveniles themselves.

In most decided cases it has been argued time and again that corporal punishment is inhuman and infringes on the right to dignity. The constitutional Court’s ruling has certainly addressed all these concerns and people are hoping citizens will abide by the new law.