Child rights advocates have called on adult Filipinos to stop the practice of beating children for minor infractions or insulting them, claiming that such practice is uncivilized and an transgression of international covenants on children's rights.

The call came in the wake of reports that a large proportion of children around the world experiences physical and humiliating or degrading punishment, scarring them for life or inducing aberrant behavior among them.

In a media briefing on the Advocacy and Campaign for the Promotion of Positive Discipline and Prohibition of Corporal Punishment, Child Rights Network (CRN), highlighted the need for a law that will ban the corporal punishment of children in the homes, schools and other settings.

According to the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), corporal punishment refers to cases where physical force is used and intended to cause some degree of pain or discomfort, however light. It also includes other non-physical forms of punishment that are cruel and degrading.

In the World Studies of Abuse in the Family Environment conducted by the World Health Organization (WHO) and presented by Ms. Hope Tura, CRN co-convenor, showed that severe physical punishment is commonly used as means of discipline in the Philippines.

The same study said, "21 percent of children are hit with an object in other parts of their body, 6 percent is kicked, 3 percent is beaten, while 1 percent is threatened with a knife or a gun, and another 1 percent is choked."

"Unfortunately, here in the Philippines, we learn to tolerate a not so child-friendly society," lamented Ramon San Pascual, executive director of the Philippine Legislators' Committee on Population and Development Foundation, Inc. (PLCPD).

"As a legislative advocacy institution, we put this challenge in legislation," he added. "That is why we are pushing for the passage of a law that will institutionalize mechanisms to educate the general public on effective nonviolent forms of discipline and change the norms about the acceptability and use of corporal punishment."

House Bill 6699, otherwise known as the Anti-Corporal Punishment Act of 2009, is now pending for plenary deliberation at the House of Representatives. It was authored by Rep. Nikki Prieto-Teodoro of the 1st district of Tarlac.

Child Rights Ambassador of PLAN International Mikee Cojuangco-Jaworski also expressed support for a law that will protect children.

Reacting to a comment that corporal punishment is sometimes brought about by poverty, Ms. Jaworski said, "no amount of poverty is a justification for corporal punishment."

Wilma Banaga of Save the Children offered positive discipline as an alternative approach to discipline children. She stressed that positive discipline is a process, takes time and needs family support.

Child Rights Network (CRN) is a network of organizations advocating for the passage of national laws that will protect and fulfill the rights of Filipino children.