Abstract
In recent years, a worldwide campaign to end the physical punishment of children around the world has gained momentum. The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, adopted in 1989 by the UN General Assembly and now ratified by all countries except two (the USA and Somalia), has contributed to building this momentum. For example, Article 19 of the Convention stipulates:
States Parties shall take all appropriate legislative, administrative, social and educational measures to protect the child from all forms of physical or mental violence, injury or abuse, neglect or negligent treatment, maltreatment or exploitation, including sexual abuse, while in the care of parent(s), legal guardian(s) or any other person who has the care of the child.
United Nations (1989)
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Bartholdson, O. (2001), Corporal Punishment of Children and Change of Attitudes: A Cross-Cultural Study (Stockholm: Save the Children Sweden).
Cusak, K. and Coker-Appiah, D. (1999), Violence Against Women and Children in Ghana (Accra: Gender Studies and Human Rights Documentation Centre).
Department of Children and Curious Minds: Children and Youth in Broadcasting (2008), Children’s Perceptions on the Use of Corporal Punishment in Ghana (Accra: Government of Ghana).
Durrant, J. E. and Smith, A. B. (2011), Global Pathways to Abolishing Physical Punishment: Realizing Children’s Rights (Abingdon: Taylor and Francis).
Ember, C. and Ember, M. (2005), ‘Explaining Corporal Punishment of Children: A Cross-Cultural Study’, American Anthropologist, 107(4), 609–19.
Erkman, F. and Rohner, R. (2006), ‘Youths’ Perceptions of Corporal Punishment, Parental Acceptance and Psychological Adjustment in a Turkish Metropolis’, Cross-Cultural Research, 40(3), 250–67.
Gagnon, L. (2005), Access to Justice by Children (Accra: Judicial Service of Ghana, UNICEF-Ghana and CUSO).
Government of Ghana (1992), The Constitution of the Republic of Ghana (Accra: Government of Ghana).
Government of Ghana (1998), The 1998 Children’s Act of Ghana (Act 560) (Accra: Government of Ghana).
Gyekye, K. (1996), African Cultural Values: An Introduction (Accra: Sankofa Publishing Company).
Hindberg, B. (2001), Ending Corporal Punishment: Swedish Experience of Efforts to Prevent All Forms of Violence Against Children — and the Results (Stockholm: Ministry of Health and Social Affairs, Sweden and Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Sweden).
International Save the Children’s Alliance (2003), Corporal Punishment: International Save the Children’s Alliance Position on Corporal Punishment (London: Save the Children).
Kavapalu, H. (1993), ‘Dealing with the Dark Side in the Ethnography of Childhood: Child Punishment in Tonga’, Oceania, 63(4), 313–29.
Kyei-Gyamfi, S. (2011), ‘Corporal Punishment in Ghana’, in R. Ame, D. Agbenyiga and N. Apt (eds), Children’s Rights in Ghana: Reality or Rhetoric? (Lanham, MD: Lexington Books).
Last, M. (2000), ‘Children and the Experience of Violence: Contrasting Cultures of Punishment in Northern Nigeria’, Africa: Journal of the International African Institute, 70(3), 359–93.
LeVine, R. and LeVine, B. (1963), ‘Nyansongo: A Gusii Community in Kenya’, in B. B. Whiting (ed.), Six Cultures: Studies of Child Rearing (New York and London: John Wiley and Sons Inc.).
LeVine, S. and LeVine, R. (1981), ‘Child Abuse and Neglect in Sub-Saharan Africa’, in J. Korbin (ed.), Child Abuse and Neglect: Cross-Cultural Perspectives (Berkeley: University of California Press).
Levinson, D. (1989), Family Violence in Cross-Cultural Perspective (Newbury Park, CA: Sage).
Montgomery, H. (2009), An Introduction to Childhood: Anthropological Perspectives on Children’s Lives (Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell).
Nsamenang, A. B. (1992), Human Development in a Cultural Context: A Third World Perspective (Newbury Park, CA: Sage).
Omari, C. K. and Mbilinyi, D. A. S. (1997), African Values and Child Rights: Some Cases from Tanzania (Dar es Salaam: Dar es Salaam University Press).
Pinheiro, P. S. (2006), World Report on Violence Against Children (Geneva: United Nations).
Serpell, R. (1993), The Significance of Schooling: Life-Journeys in an African Society (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press).
Ripoll-Nunez, K. and Rohner, R. (2006), ‘Corporal Punishment in Cross-Cultural Perspective: Direction for a Research Agenda’, Cross-Cultural Research, 40(3), 220–49.
Twum-Danso, A. (2009a), ‘Reciprocity, Respect and Responsibility: The 3Rs Underlying Parent-Child Relationships in Ghana and the Implications for Children’s Rights’, The International Journal of Children’s Rights, 17(3), 415–32.
Twum-Danso, A. (2009b), ‘The Construction of Childhood and the Socialization of Children: The Implications for the Implementation of Article 12 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child in Ghana’, in N. Thomas and B. Percy-Smith (eds), The Handbook of Children’s Participation (London and New York: Routledge).
Twum-Danso, A. (2011), ‘Assessing the Progress of the 1998 Children’s Act of Ghana: Achievements, Opportunities, and Challenges in its First Ten Years’, in R. Ame, D. Agbenyiga and N. Apt (eds), Children’s Rights in Ghana: Reality or Rhetoric? (Lanham, MD: Lexington Books).
UN Committee on the Rights of the Child (March 2006), Consideration of Reports Submitted by States Parties Under Article 44 of the Convention Concluding Observations, Ghana (Geneva: United Nations).
United Nations (1989), The Convention on the Rights of the Child (New York: United Nations).
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Copyright information
© 2012 Afua Twum-Danso Imoh
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Imoh, A.TD. (2012). ‘This Is How We Do It Here’: The Persistence of the Physical Punishment of Children in Ghana in the Face of Globalizing Ideals. In: Imoh, A.TD., Ame, R. (eds) Childhoods at the Intersection of the Local and the Global. Studies in Childhood and Youth. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137283344_7
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137283344_7
Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, London
Print ISBN: 978-1-349-34444-4
Online ISBN: 978-1-137-28334-4
eBook Packages: Palgrave Social Sciences CollectionSocial Sciences (R0)