Committee atits843rdand844thmeetings, heldon16August 1989(CERD/C/SR.843 and844). 285.Thereportwasintroduced bytherepresentative ofthereporting State, who gaveadetailed description ofhowthevarious provisions oftheConvention were covered bySenegalese legislation. Hestressed thattherightsenshrined inthe Convention, together withotherinternational instruments, wereincorporated into thebodyoftheConstitution, notmerely asprinciples butasrulesfordaily application. Thefactthatthecountry wasSUbject totheruleoflawwas reflected intheprovisions ofarticle 79oftheConstitution, whichrecognized the precedence ofinternational treaties over nati~nal law. 286.Hestatedthatunderarticle 4andarticles 6to20oftheConstitution, specific guarantees wereprovided inrespect ofpolitical andtradeunionfreedoms, fundamental rights andfreedoms oftheindividual, freedom ofopinion andreligion, property rights, andeconomic, social andcultural rights. Therepresentative emphasized thattheindependence ofthejudiciary wasensured underthe Constitution, andanycaseinvolving humanrightsviolations couldbebrought beforealltribunals, including theHighe~Council oftheLegislature andthe Supreme Court. 287.Senegal's fundamental opposition toapartheid wasrestated bythe representative, whosaidthathiscountry hadnoeconomic orotherrelations with SouthAfrica, andhadrecently updated restrictive measureS against theregime. 288.Therepresentative informed theCommittee thataseriosofmeasures had recently beenadopted inSenegal thatbroughtitslegislation fullyinlinewith article 4oftheConvention. 289.Members oftheCommittee welcomed theeighthreportofSenegal andexpressed satisfaction attheadditional information provided intheintroductory statement, whichunderlined Senegal's unquestionab)~ commitment totheprotection ofhuman dghts. 290.Notingthatnearly 20percentofthecountry's population werealiens, members wishedtoknowwhether theywerealready employed inthecountry orwere foreign workers seeking employment. Whilewelcoming thestatistics onethnic gl:oupsprovided inthereport, members soughtfurther clarification onthe demographic composition ofthecountry andonwhether accesstopublicservice was available equally toallthegroups. 291.ItwasstatedthattheSenegalese authorities appeared tohavegivenanew definition topUblicorder,which, asageneral rule,wasinvoked toj~stify the restriction ofcertain rights. Members askedforfurther information onthe definition asusedinSenegal. 2Q2.Members acknowledged Senegal's contribution totheAfrican peoples' senseof identity, orNegritude, andaskedforfurther information onthemassliteracy campaign inthecountry. -58-293.Finally, members askedforinformation ontherecentdisturbance between Senegal andMauritania. 294.Inresponse toquestions raisedbymembers oftheCommittee, the representative statedthatthemanyforeigners livinginthecountry didsofor manyvariedreasons, sinceSenegal washistorically alandofimmigration andalso ahostcountry fortourists. Legislation withinthecountry inrespect of foreigners wasstrictintheletterbutnotinth~practice ofthelaw,thusmany foreigners didnothBveidentity cardsorresident permits butlivedinharmony withtheSenegalese people. 295. Re~arding thedemographic composition ofthecountry, therepresentative said thatthecensus, takenevery10years,didnotaskfortheethnicorigins of citizens, itsparameters werethoseofageandsex.Heexplained thatallcitizens belonged tooneethnicgroup,theSahelo-Sudanese group;although thereweresix linguistic groups, Wolofwasthedominant language spoken bynearlyeveryone, although French remained theofficial language. Hestressed thatasallcitizens werepartofthesamegroup,accesstopublicservice wasbasedonqualifications notethnicity. 296.Therepresentative informed theCommittee thatinSenegal publicorderwasnot regarded asbeingrestrictive totheenjoyment ofhumanrights, butwasconsidered asasine ~uanonfortheproperexistence ofindividual freedom. 297.Heexplained thattheNegritude couldbetakenasthebasisforthemass literacy campaign withinthecountry. TheGovernment haddecided toensure literacy inthenational languages andthecampaign wasconsidered animportant toolineducation withinthecountry.
**Analysis**
This text appears to be a report on the human rights situation in Senegal, discussing the country's legislation, international instruments, and practices related to human rights. The text touches on topics such as the incorporation of international treaties into national law, the independence of the judiciary, and the protection of individual rights. It also mentions specific initiatives such as a mass literacy campaign and the country's stance on apartheid.

**Category**
Education, Humanitarian aid and relief