for their integration into society. Despite this significant step, the Bantous have treated them with disdain over the years. Special Associations for the protection of the rights of indigenous people were established after the National Sovereign Conference, supported by other apolitical Organisations involved in the protection of human rights. In May and June 2006, a bill on the promotion and protection of indigenous populations (a first in Africa) was drafted. The International Day for Indigenous Populations is commemorated on 9th December of each year, nationwide. C- Challenges : Implementation of the promotion and protection of human rights The above table has some shortcomings. In effect the implementation of a promotion and protection policy for human rights in Congo is fraught with problems. Very briefly, it should be noted by way of example that this difficulty is at four levels: institutions, health, education and the economy. 1. At the institutional and legal level From the institutional and legal level, it is important to outline the challenges in the legal and penitentiary fields because it is at these two levels that texts relative to human rights are implemented. In view of the provisions of the texts, it would not be misplaced to state that the Congolese System is plagued by its lack of independence, a sine qua non for the equitable dispensation of justice. In addition to failings in this fundamental ethical requirement there are other material, human and financial problems. The absence of lawyers during policy custody, the excessive duration of police custody and detention and red-tape are all shortcomings which run counter to the dispensation of justice and the respect for human rights. Regarding prisons, in general, it is noteworthy that Congolese Prisons were built to accommodate few inmates during the colonial era. Over the years, the prison population has increased considerably and the prison system has not kept up. Consequently, three (3) types of difficulties have emerged: infrastructure, prison staff and financial problems abound. In terms of infrastructure, prisons facilities are old and obsolete and make for poor prisons conditions which hamper the social reintegration of detainees. In addition to the deplorable health and security conditions, most prisons do not have health facilities. Only the Brazzaville Prison has a dispensary. In n addition to this litany of woes, the prison is over-populated, with no social reintegration programme in most prisons and the prison system, ill-equipped. 28