In a bid to protect children from violence in the home, Seychelles' National Assembly has passed a law banning corporal punishment.
The Children Amendment Bill was presented before members of the National Assembly on Tuesday by the Minister of Family Affairs, Mitcy Larue, who said that the law doesn't take away the rights of parents to discipline their children.
Larue said banning corporal punishment is in line with Article 3 of Seychelles' Constitution and with the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, a human right that came into force in September 1990.
Speaking to SNA, NCC's chief executive, Jean-Claude Matombe said the NCC, a local organisation which promotes children's rights, is in support of the statute as it is a new beginning for Seychelles to eliminate violence against children.
"We have been raising awareness for a long time about countries using corporal punishment as a norm to discipline children.
