Activist group Sonke Gender Justice on Tuesday announced that it had launched a campaign to oppose corporal punishment‚ arguing that its banning was crucial in ending violence against children.

The Action on Violence Against Children campaign‚ launched together with a string of local and international organisations including UNICEF‚ is aimed at reducing violence against children in Kenya‚ Tanzania‚ Swaziland‚ Uganda‚ South Africa‚ Malawi and Zambia.

“In South Africa — a country with one of the highest levels of interpersonal violence‚ including violence against children — prohibiting corporal punishment offers a catalytic opportunity to reduce violence‚” the group’s statement said.

“Unfortunately this kind of use of violence is still widely supported by many South Africans. The arguments mounted by the pro-spanking lobby are harmful‚ to individual children and to society at large. Children are entitled to at least the same level of protection from random assault as are adults.”

The group pointed to agreements to limit corporal punishment already made: “In 2014‚ the honourable Minister of Social Development‚ Bathabile Dlamini‚ expressed her commitment to see through the amendment of the Children’s Act that will prohibit corporal punishment in all spaces‚ especially the home.”

At the time‚ the minister stated: “Children are impressionable and when those in positions of authority use violent means to encourage discipline‚ the children understand this as saying violence is permissible when trying to persuade others to act in a certain way. This is why we are going to forge ahead with banning corporal punishment even in the home environment.”

Sonke Gender Justice commended the minister for making the statement and urged her “to continue her commitment to this matter and to table the amendment as soon as possible”.