particular with regard to the administration of the household, and on specific bein taken to overcome them, on the extent to which the rights of aliens were restricted as compared with those of citisens: and on the main It was also legislative limitations or prohibitions affecting aliens. inquired whether there were any plans systematically to remove from laws and regulations such outdated provisions as article 4 of the Code of Commerce, which seemed not to be in line with the Covenant: what recourse was open to women in oases of discrimination; and whether there was any limitation in the recruitment of womenmagistrates. measures 535. In his reply, the representative of the State party explained that women activities and occupied played a full part in economic, social and political an important place in the life of tbe nation and that during the past 12 years the Government had made every effort to eliminate discrimination on the basis of sex. There were no restrictions on the recruitment of women magistrates, There were, and in fact there were more female than male magistrates. however, some araas, such as private employment, inheritance rights or the still occurred. Another marriageable age of women, in which discrimination problem was the continuing practice of polygamy and, in some remote villages, of contractual marriages. At the present time, quite a number of women held high posts in the administration, but the situation was different lower down, both in urban and rural areas. 53G. Aliens enjoyed all freedoms in Madagascar, including freedom to settle. Their voting rights, however, were limited and they were subject to administrative regulations in some economic areas, such as the purchase of real estate. St.?te of emeraency 537. With regard to that adopted for implementing Assembly had any part to whether any progress had in Madagascar. issue, it was inquired what procedures had been emergency legislation: whether the National People’s play in the enactment of such legislation: and been made towards stabilizing the security situation 538. In his reply, the representative of the State party explained that the main reason for the unstable state of the country was the theft of cattle, an endemic activity which was difficult to stop in view of the high prices which thieves were able to obtain and due to the lack of adequate financial Originally an inter-village resources in the budget for law and order. matter, the theft of cattle was now practised on a large-scale basis, No fully successful means of dealing with cattle thieves had yet been devised, and the Government had always been hesitant in calling out the army for that purpose. A state of emergency had never been declared by the Government, but emergency provisions had been applied in some towns and regions following riots, demonstrations or natural disasters. Bight to life 539. With reference to that issue, members of the Committee wished to know how many of the 51 death sentences pronounced between 1977 and 1907 had been had been successful in putting a stop to carried out; whether the authorities extrajudicial executions of criminals in the rural -132- areas; what measures had