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Dusseldorf Declares April 30 as Day of Peaceful Learning: Achievements Celebrated, Yet More Action Needed

A substantially larger number, roughly two-thirds, of respondents in a survey from 2025, expressed their disagreement towards the use of physical punishment when raising children.

Dusseldorf Announces Peaceful Learning Day on April 30th: Despite Achievements, More Advancements...
Dusseldorf Announces Peaceful Learning Day on April 30th: Despite Achievements, More Advancements are Essential

Dusseldorf Declares April 30 as Day of Peaceful Learning: Achievements Celebrated, Yet More Action Needed

In a significant stride towards child welfare, Germany has seen a decline in physical punishment over the past two decades. This trend, rooted in legal bans and shifting societal norms, has been reflected in various aspects of child-rearing.

corporal punishment in German schools was abolished by 1983, and it became criminalized for teachers in 1993. Since the 1990s, Germany has increasingly recognized the rights of children against physical punishment, mirroring broader European trends. While exact numbers comparing 2005 versus 2025 as statistical data are not directly available, recent research on physical punishment prevalence generally documents a decline in Europe, including Germany, over recent decades.

The legal prohibition of physical punishment is not the only step towards a safer environment for children. Organisations like the German Children's Fund, based in Düsseldorf, have been advocating for children for 60 years. Their mission is to ensure children grow up without violence, protected, and happy. The Fund offers anonymous, free, and confidential counseling for both children and young people and parents, addressing issues related to violence prevention and finding solutions that meet everyone's needs.

Last year, 3,157 children and young people received support through the children and youth telephone of the German Children's Fund. The network provides the largest free telephone counseling offer in Germany for children, young people, and parents, with 87 local providers of counseling telephones predominantly consisting of local associations of the German Children's Fund and other welfare associations. The blue elephant, the mascot of the German Children's Fund, symbolises their commitment to making children unstoppable.

Neglect, physical, psychological, or sexual violence are still part of many children's daily lives and often remain hidden. The German Children's Fund encourages discussions about violence prevention in family and friend circles. For parents seeking support on all family topics, the telephone number 0800 111 0 550 is available.

The trend towards a safer and more supportive environment for children extends beyond the German Children's Fund. For children and young people, the telephone number 116 111 and the online counseling at www.nummergegenkummer.de are available. Specifically trained and mainly volunteer counselors support callers in a self-help manner with everyday problems and difficult life situations.

In conclusion, while precise comparative statistics for 2005 and 2025 in Germany are not explicitly found in the available sources, the abolition of corporal punishment in schools by the 1980s and criminalization in 1993, along with European child protection trends, strongly suggest a downward trend in physical punishment in child-rearing over the past 20 years. Organisations like the German Children's Fund continue to play a crucial role in ensuring children grow up in a safe and supportive environment.

  1. Germany's education system, by abolishing corporal punishment in schools by 1983 and criminalizing it for teachers in 1993, has demonstrated a commitment towards child health-and-wellness, protecting children from harmful practices.
  2. Recognizing the importance of mental-health and personal-growth, the German Children's Fund offers confidential counseling for children, young people, and parents, addressing issues related to violence prevention and providing solutions that cater to everyone's needs.
  3. Beyond the German Children's Fund, initiatives like the telephone service 116 111 and online counseling at www.nummergegenkummer.de focus on education-and-self-development, addressing the everyday problems and difficult life situations faced by children and young people.

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