Dimensions › Rights & Safety

Corporal Punishment Status

Whether hitting children is legal. A proxy for how seriously a country takes children's bodily rights.

How 40 countries compare

1 Denmark Banned

2 Spain Banned

3 Japan Banned

4 United States Not fully banned

5 Singapore Legal in schools for boys

6 United Kingdom Banned in Scotland & Wales; legal in England

7 Germany Banned

8 France Banned

9 Netherlands Banned

10 Australia Legal in home; banned in schools

11 Canada Legal with restrictions

12 United Arab Emirates Not fully banned

13 Switzerland Banned

14 Sweden Banned

15 Norway Banned

16 Vietnam Not fully banned

17 Indonesia Not fully banned

18 Malaysia Legal in schools and home

19 Philippines Banned

20 Colombia Banned

21 Costa Rica Banned

22 South Africa Banned

23 Kenya Banned in schools; legal in home

24 Estonia Banned

25 Taiwan Banned

26 Panama Not fully banned

27 Chile Banned

28 Argentina Banned

29 Morocco Not fully banned

30 Egypt Not fully banned

31 Croatia Banned

32 Hungary Banned

33 Romania Banned

34 Poland Banned

35 Greece Banned

36 New Zealand Banned

37 Ireland Banned

38 Saudi Arabia Not fully banned

39 Qatar Not fully banned

40 Czech Republic Banned