CHAPTER THREE: DEMOCRACY AND POLITICAL GOVERNANCE following a decade devoted to the fight against terrorism, but the programme for building and allocating decent housing is in full swing. The authorities are also making a major effort to ensure the provision of low-cost drinking water, electricity and gas to households throughout the country, sometimes even free of charge to the most disadvantaged, as is discussed in Chapter Six (see infra). 214. The effective functioning of local committees for the allocation of housing, based on the principles of equity, equality and social justice, has frequently been emphasised. It is nonetheless true that mayors and elected local members appear to be poorly represented on these committees, which are dominated by public officials and presided over daïra chiefs. Opinions on the effectiveness of these mechanisms to provide access to housing remain rather low: they are considered very effective by only 2.08 per cent, good by 21.23 per cent, fair by 17.71 per cent, poor by 39.96 per cent and very poor by 9.84 per cent of the people interviewed within the framework of the February 2007 survey. 215. The government has deployed numerous efforts to guarantee the constitutional right to employment. However, these remain insufficient given the large number of unemployed young graduates whose situation remains precarious (see Chapter Six). Noting after discussions with stakeholders that this matter calls for urgent attention, the CRM urges the government, over and above the assistance it already offers in this area, to redouble its efforts to put forward sustainable and effective initiatives to support employment and the integration of the youth. This recommendation is supported by the fact that mechanisms for creating employment opportunities are seen to be very good by only 1.03 per cent of those surveyed, good by 6.14 per cent , fair by 49.66 per cent, bad by 20.18 per cent and very bad by up to 13.59 per cent. These (at the very least reserved) opinions emerging from the February 2007 survey, whose findings need to be contextualised, emphasise the importance of employing sustained efforts to ensure that current reforms and measures produce lasting effects. 216. Freedom of entrepreneurship, sidelined for so long, is now guaranteed, as are the right and access to property. The CRM noted that these economic rights, which are symbolic of Algeria‟s new liberal policies, are not fully realised in practice. Several entrepreneurs, youths and women who were interviewed in meetings on the ground, pointed to the bureaucratic tardiness, reticence and red tape associated with the implementation of these liberal economic rights. Given the country‟s socialist history and culture, this is understandable. There is also good reason to encourage the state to accelerate and strengthen the promotion of private initiative as a potential source of employment, while guaranteeing equal opportunity. Given the country‟s considerable exposure to environmental risks, the same can be said in relation to the enshrinement of new rights, such as the right to a healthy environment. 217. The CRM noted that the legal system covers the principal economic, social and cultural rights in Algeria (especially the right to education, health and decent accommodation) and their implementation, and pays due attention to the need to guarantee generalised service. 80