A/HRC/7/19/Add.5 A/HRC/7/23/Add.3 Page 13 law and the discriminatory impact of some laws and practices, especially those linked to granting citizenship and the registration system, leading in many cases to the denial of the exercise of basic rights. 34. The absence of judicial complaints on the grounds of racism or racial discrimination, which public officials considered as a strong element to support their conviction that racism does not exist in the country, was mainly attributed to the following factors: an absolute lack of confidence in the justice system with regard to obtaining remedies or reparation for raciallymotivated acts, in a context where high level officials, including from the judiciary, fundamentally deny the existence of racism in the country; the refusal or reluctance of victims to file a complaint, fearing retaliatory measures and unlawful or discriminatory reactions; and the absence of an independent national human rights institution where individual complaints could be filed. 35. In contrast with the Government’s position expressed to CERD associating the marginalization of Dominicans of African descent with the general situation of poverty in the country, civil society actors highlighted that racial discrimination against blacks was an important contributing factor to the general situation of poverty. In this regard, the absence of a policy framework that expressly relates to people of African descent and the lack of disaggregated quantitative and qualitative data on the economic, social and political representation of Dominicans of African descent within society was considered as a major problem and a major challenge in combating racism and racial discrimination. 2. Expressions and manifestations of racism and racial discrimination (a) Racial discrimination against blacks 36. Civil society representatives referred extensively to the existence of a deeply rooted societal prejudice against blacks in Dominican society. Academics and intellectuals noted that resistance to “blackness” and to the country’s African heritage is deeply entrenched culturally, and reflected in areas such as language, interpersonal relationships, prototypes of social aesthetics and of physical beauty and school textbooks. 37. Intellectuals and academics working on issues of race and identity pointed out that racial prejudice is embedded in everyday language, as reflected in the existence of aggressive and insulting expressions widely used among society which stigmatize and negatively stereotype black persons. As illustrations, they noted the use of the term “black” as an insult, disturbing references made to blacks as being “pig feed”, ignorant or unhygienic, or the frequent association of blacks with both illegal status and criminality. 38. Officially, the “Afro-descendent” category is not considered to be part of the country’s ethnic and racial make-up, and the term black in relation to Dominicans is systematically replaced by the terms “indio” (Indian), “indio claro” (light Indian) or “indio oscuro” (dark Indian) by administrative officials in registration offices. Black Dominicans noted with frustration the resistance and incomprehension they have to face from registration officers when they wish to identify themselves as black in their identity documents.