CERD/C/GTM/CO/11 page 2 6. The Committee welcomes the declaration by the delegation that it is the intention of the Supreme Court of Justice and the institutional policy of the judiciary to recognize the indigenous legal system. 7. The Committee welcomes the promulgation of the Mayan Language Act and of legislation with respect to the wearing of regional indigenous dress in schools. 8. The Committee welcomes the reform of chapter IV of the Municipal Code, particularly the recognition given to traditional indigenous authorities (alcaldías indígenas) for the first time as regular municipal authorities, in national legislation and the commitment by the State to promote and respect indigenous people’s own forms of political and administrative organization. 9. The Committee welcomes Government Agreement No. 22-04, which provides for intercultural bilingual education as part of the national education system as well as measures for its practical implementation. 10. The Committee notes with interest the follow-up to the institutionalization of B’eleje’ B’atz Day (women’s day in the Mayan calendar). C. Subjects of concern and recommendations 11. The Committee is concerned that the statistics in the State party’s report on the country’s indigenous peoples are incomplete and that the State party does not keep statistics relating to the population of African descent. The Committee recalls that such information is necessary to assess how the Convention is implemented in respect of these groups. The Committee draws the attention of the State party to its General Recommendation 4 and to paragraph 8 of its guidelines regarding the submission of reports, and recommends to the State party that it include in its next periodic report update d disaggregated statistics on indigenous peoples and persons of African descent so that their situation can be more accurately assessed. 12. The Committee is deeply concerned at the extent to which racism and racial discrimination against the Maya, Xinca a nd Garifuna peoples is entrenched within the territory of the State party and at the inadequacy of public policies to eliminate racial discrimination. (art. 2, para. 1, and art. 2, para. 2). The Committee urges the State party to adopt the proposed policy entitled “Towards harmonious intercultural coexistence”, which is intended to eliminate racial discrimination. It likewise recommends the State party to undertake special measures as provided for in article 2.2 of the Convention in favour of indigenous pe oples and persons of African descent, who have historically been subjected to discrimination. The Committee also recommends that coordination be intensified between the various bodies involved in combating racial discrimination, such as the Office for the Defence of Indigenous Women’s Rights, the Presidential Commission on Discrimination and