firstsession 11andthatwascommunicated toallStatesparties andtotheGene.al 'AssemblYI "TheCommitteeattaches greatimportance tothesftreports. Itis unanimously oftheviewthat,beingaprincipal sourceofinformation, these reports provide theCommittee withanessential element fordischarging oneof itsmostimportant responsibilities, namely, reporting totheGeneral Assembly oftheUnitedNations underarticle 9,paragraph 2,oftheConvention." B.Considerati2n-af reportI .41.Atitsthirty-seventh session, theCommittee examined 49reports submitted by •28Statesparties underarticle 9oftheConvention. Threereports, fromDenmark, ·ItalyandJordan,initially sche'1uled forcor.~ideration atthethirty-seventh ·session, werepostponed tothethirty-eighth session attherequest ofthe Irespective Governments. Inaddition, theCommittee considered theeighth, ninth ,andtenthperiodic reports ofthePhilippines. 'l'heCommittee devoted 21ofthe34 meetings itheldin1989tot~edischarge ofitsobligations underarticle 9ofthe ·Convention . .42.Inaccordance withrule64ofitsrulesof~rocedur~, theCommittee cOhtinued ·thepractice, startedatitssixthsession, ofrequesting theSecretary-General to inform theStatesparties concerned ofthedatesonwhichtheirrespective reports wouldbeconsidered bytheCommittee. AlltheStatesparties whosereports were considered bytheCommittee, exceptChad,Maldives, NigerandTongn,sent representatives toparticipate inthe.examination oftheirrespective reports. 43.Atitsthirty-seventh session, theCommittee followed forthefirsttimethe systemofcountry rapporteurs duringitsexamination ofreports submittod byStates parties. This proc~dure hadbeendecided uponatthethirty-sixth session, witha viewtoimproving andstreamlining theCommittee'S methodofexamination of reports. TheCommittee believes thatthesystemofcountry rapportfturs hasreduced t.hetimeforconsideration ofeachStatereportandenhanced thedialogue with representatives ofStatesparties. TheCommittee notedwithsatisfaction the fruitful dialogue ithaddeveloped withrepresentatives ofreporting Statespresent 'atitsmeetings, andurgedthatallStatesparties shouldendeavour tosend representatives whentheirreports werebeingexamined. 44.Thefollowing paragraphs, arranged onacountry-by-country basisaccording to thesequence followed bytheCommittee initsconsideration ofthereports of Statesparties, contain asummary oftheviewsexpressed, observations madeand questions askedbythemembers oftheCommittee onthereports oftheStates partieG concerned aswellasthesubstantive elements ofthereplies givenbythe Irepresentatives oftheStatesparties present atthemeetings. -18-France 45.Theeighthperiodic reportofFrance (CERD/C/148/Add.3) wasconsidered bythe Committee atits832ndand833rdmeetings, on8August1989(CERD/C/SR.832 and833). 46.Thereportwasintroduced bytherepresentative oftheStatepartywho emphasized thegreatimportance thathiscountry attached totheelimination of racialdiscrimination. Referring tonewdevelopments thathad ol~curred sincethe submission ofthereport, hestatedthataninterministerial unittocombatracism hadbeen establishe~ toworkalongside theAdvisory Committee onHumanRights. Furthermore, legislatlve provisions hadbeenadopted, suchastheActconcerning freedom ofthepressthatprohibited attempts tojustify crimesagainst humanity. theActconcerning publications foryoungpeoplethathadgiventheMinister ofthe Interior powerstoprohibit thesaletominorsofpUblications likelytoincite racialhatredordiscrimination, andarecentActconcerning theentryand residence conditions foraliensinFrance. Judicial decisions whosenumbervaried littlefromoneyeartoanother reflected thewilltointerpret thelawinsucha wayastomakeracistactswidelypunishable. Efforts topromote theintegration ofimmigrants intothemainstream ofsociety hadbeenpursued, inparticular, by negotiation ofcontracts between theStateandregional authorities tofacilitate theestablishment offoreign communities inurbanareas. Withregardto developments inNewCaledonia, hestatedthat,inAugust1988,inconsultation with themainpolitical movements inNewCaledonia, theGovernment haddecided to implement apolicyintended toredress theimbalances affecting theMelanesian community and,afteraperiodof10years,toorganize areferendum on [elf-determination. Amongthevarious measures takentothebenefit ofthe
**Analysis**
The text appears to be a report from the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) to the United Nations General Assembly. It discusses the examination of reports from States parties to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination. The report highlights the efforts of France to combat racial discrimination, including legislative and judicial measures, as well as initiatives to promote the integration of immigrants into society. Given the focus on racial discrimination and human rights, it is likely that the report falls under the categories related to human rights and social issues.

**Category**
Humanitarian aid and relief, Education