A/HRC/23/3 ensure that its practices and policies in that regard would conform to international law. Hungary made a recommendation. 113. India drew the attention of France to the Views adopted by the Human Rights Committee at its 106th session in November 2012 on the expulsion of an Indian student from a public school for wearing a keski, and urged France to provide an effective and enforceable remedy. India made recommendations. 114. Indonesia welcomed the 2008 constitutional reform, the creation of the Roma inclusion strategy and the Ministry of Women’s Rights. It encouraged France to formulate a comprehensive action plan to ensure the mainstreaming of gender awareness and eliminate gender discrimination. Indonesia made recommendations. 115. Iraq commended the determination of France to protect and promote human rights and improve the situation with respect to fundamental freedoms. It particularly welcomed efforts to promote gender equality and women’s rights and provide social services. Iraq made a recommendation. 116. Ireland commended France on the measures adopted to improve women’s rights. It also welcomed the development of a national plan of action to combat racism and antiSemitism, but was concerned about ongoing patterns of de facto discrimination against minorities. Ireland made recommendations. 117. The Islamic Republic of Iran drew attention to concerns expressed by the human rights treaty bodies and mechanisms over human rights violations by the Government of France, particularly in the areas of child prostitution and child pornography, and increasing discrimination against Muslims and Roma. It made recommendations. 118. The head of the French delegation pointed out that the right of asylum was a fundamental right. The French Government intended to fully respect that right, which stood to its credit and was a benchmark for freedom. France had received more than 60,000 applications in 2012. Those figures illustrated the importance of the right of asylum in the country but also explained the problems the country was facing. The forthcoming reform of the asylum policy would focus on three areas: increasing capacity, improving waiting times for cases to be considered and carrying out a procedural review. The reform would be conducted in a spirit of responsibility, with emphasis on humane treatment and respect for rights, and in full conformity with European Union law on asylum. 119. The head of the French delegation recalled, in conclusion, that the struggle for human rights had to focus on all fronts simultaneously and would never be over, and that France was aware of the difference between what it wanted and what it managed to achieve. Expressing the hope that the discussion during the session had clarified any misunderstandings about his country, he emphasized that France welcomed dialogue, criticism and even challenges, as a driving force of progress in the field of human rights. II. Conclusions and/or recommendations** 120. The following recommendations will be examined by France, which will provide responses in due time, but no later than the twenty-third session of the Human Rights Council in June 2013: ** Conclusions and recommendations have not been edited. 14 GE.13-12484