Reintroducing corporal punishment in Fiji will only reverse years of progress in protecting the rights and dignity of children.
This is the view of Social Empowerment and Education Programme (SEEP) executive director and Human Rights Commissioner Chantelle Khan, who said the organisation strongly condemns recent public calls to reintroduce corporal punishment in Fiji.
Her comments come after government officials reportedly met with certain stakeholders who have voiced support for reinstating corporal punishment in schools.
Ms Khan said such proposals directly contradict Fiji’s national laws and international human rights obligations.
“Corporal punishment is not discipline, it is violence,” she said.
“We cannot teach respect through fear, nor promote learning through pain.”
She said Fiji’s Constitution protects every child from cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, while the country’s ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) obliges the State to safeguard children from all forms of physical or mental violence.
Ms Khan cited findings from the 2024–2025 Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS Plus), which revealed that 68 per cent of children aged 1–14 in Fiji still experience violent or psychological punishment, a sign, she said, that harmful norms persist despite legal protections.
“Any attempt to legitimise corporal punishment would only deepen these harms.
“Reintroducing such practices violates children’s rights and erodes trust between caregivers, teachers, and the young people they nurture.”
Ms Khan urged leaders, educators, and communities to reaffirm Fiji’s commitment to non-violent, rights-based discipline and to strengthen parenting and public education programs that promote empathy, communication, and mutual respect.
“Our children deserve safety, dignity, and care.
“Let us move forward, not backward, in protecting their rights.”
