UNICEF "400 Million Children Worldwide Suffer Abuse at Home"

6 out of 10 Children Under Age 5
330 Million Have Experienced Corporal Punishment

It has been found that 400 million children under the age of five worldwide, equivalent to six out of ten children, experience physical and emotional violent discipline at home.

(This photo is not directly related to the article.) [Photo source=Pixabay]

The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) revealed this on the 11th (local time) in data released to mark the first 'International Day of Play.' This report analyzed data from 100 countries worldwide from 2010 to 2023, covering both 'punishment,' which refers to physical punishment, and 'emotional abuse.'

The survey found that among the 400 million children experiencing violent discipline at home, 303 million also suffered corporal punishment. The report pointed out, "Although more and more countries are banning corporal punishment of children at home, still 500 million children under five do not receive adequate legal protection from corporal punishment," and added, "Harmful social norms supporting violent parenting practices persist globally." Among the 100 countries surveyed, only 66 have enacted laws banning corporal punishment of children at home within the last 15 years.

Catherine Russell, UNICEF Executive Director, stated, "When children suffer physical and verbal abuse at home or do not receive social and emotional care from their families, their self-esteem and development can be weakened." On the other hand, more than one in four primary caregivers, including mothers, responded that corporal punishment is necessary to properly educate children in this survey.

[Photo by Yonhap News]

Results regarding children's play environments were also released. According to a survey conducted from 2010 to 2023 across 85 countries, one in five children aged 2 to 4 did not play with a caregiver at home. One in eight children under five had no toys to play with at all.

Additionally, 40% of children aged 2 to 4 were found to have insufficient stimulation or meaningful interaction at home. Furthermore, 10%, or one in ten children, did not engage in activities important for cognitive, social, and emotional development such as reading, storytelling, singing, or drawing.

UNICEF urged all countries to ensure that every child grows up feeling safe and loved by strengthening legal and policy frameworks that prohibit all forms of violence against children at home, expanding and supporting parenting programs that prevent domestic violence, and increasing access to learning and play spaces.

Executive Director Russell emphasized, "Parenting and caregiving through play not only bring joy to children but also help them feel safe, learn, build skills, and explore the world around them."

Meanwhile, a previous study revealed that more than 300 million children worldwide suffer from online sexual abuse annually. Last month, the Child Rights and Safety Research Institute at the University of Edinburgh in the UK reported that over 300 million children experienced online sexual exploitation and abuse in the past year, and one in eight children worldwide became victims of non-consensual filming, sharing, and distribution.