There is still confusion about what exactly constitutes the rights of children and what is considered discipline.

This confusion is causing fear among authorities—from parents to chiefs and teachers—who are now hesitant to discipline children the way they used to.

Vanuatu signed the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) in 1992. Since then, traditional authorities such as parents in homes, chiefs in nakamals, and teachers in schools have become unsure whether certain disciplinary actions are still acceptable under the law.

This follows different interpretations of what the “rights of the child” actually mean.

Now, with rising concerns about the behavior of children and youth, some authorities are revisiting how discipline is applied and what exactly constitutes a child’s right.

“Sometimes when they do something that doesn’t please me, how can I deal with it? I have to smack my child, I need to discipline my child. But with this talk of children’s rights, now I’m scared to discipline my own child,” said a concerned parent.

National Human Rights Coordinator, Albert Nalpini, explained that there is ongoing confusion about the laws protecting children.

“When we ratified the CRC in 1992, we were not prepared to fully understand and implement the convention. Now, people interpret it in different ways. Maybe the government failed at the start to properly coordinate and explain the convention, so we wouldn’t have all these mixed interpretations,” he said.

Mr. Nalpini outlined that children’s rights mainly refer to basic needs and protection such as food, health, life, shelter, schooling, and medical care.

This confusion is one reason the government is working on a new law for children that aims to clearly define their rights and responsibilities.

“When we talk about rights, we mean the right to things like school. If a child does not attend school or disobeys, that is wrong—it’s not a right. Where do we draw the line? If you injure a child’s body, that’s not discipline. But talking to them or a light smack, that’s discipline,” he said.

Mr. Nalpini made these remarks to help guide parents, and all adults responsible for children, to continue in their role of teaching and guiding young ones in a positive and lawful way.