A/49/677 English Page 24 regional or continental integration in order to promote it. Because the market is narrowing, unemployment is troubling the North and the South to varying degrees. From the brain drain the world has moved rapidly to labour flight; the South is offering up its workers. With the onset of recession, the increasingly impoverished South has found no solution other than emigration, and racism and discrimination have once again broken out. 114. Economic difficulties have reawakened and exacerbated nationalism at the national and regional levels. A scapegoat syndrome has developed; foreigners are being blamed for unemployment because they are seen as a burden on the national economy. Extreme right-wing nationalist and neo-Nazi movements are re-emerging, preaching ethnic purity or national identity and preference for nationals in the face of the "barbarian" invaders. Intolerance and xenophobia have become systematic and are reflected in violence. 115. The trend is one of a turning inward and a refusal to share. Within nations, wealthy communities and social strata mean to preserve their comfort. Among nations, a form of economic isolationism is reappearing; some argue that aid to the countries of the South should be limited, if not eliminated outright. 116. In imparting culture and forming minds, educational systems also transmit racist, xenophobic and anti-Semitic ideologies. These ideologies provide the basis and structure of extreme right-wing and neo-Nazi movements and political parties. 117. In the name of freedom of the press and expression, the major communications media - radio, television, the press and various publications also serve as vectors of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and anti-Semitism. Images have such great impact that scenes of violence, even if accompanied by critical commentary, can incite imitation in segments of the population that are idle, unemployed and see little hope for the future. V. MEASURES TAKEN BY GOVERNMENTS AND ACTION UNDERTAKEN BY CIVIL SOCIETY 118. In analysing the various manifestations of racism, racial discrimination and xenophobia, one must look at the reactions of the people in the countries concerned and the reactions and actions of their Governments. 119. Although some countries claim not to experience racism, others, such as Germany, France, the United States of America and Norway, have the courage to acknowledge racism and its contemporary expressions as a real problem. According to the French Commission nationale consultative des droits de l’homme, 9 out of 10 French people consistently agree that racism is widespread in France. Yet, of the threats facing today’s world, racism is ranked only fifth by the French, after world hunger, AIDS, pollution and human rights abuses. However, it is noteworthy that in France, as in Germany, broad segments of the population have mobilized to combat racism through such means as marches, public demonstrations and candlelight vigils. Non-governmental organizations are also active: in France, the Movement against Racism and for Friendship among Peoples and SOS-Racisme; internationally, the World Council of Churches. And the /...