The 10-day NGO Forum meet ended at Huairou yesterday.

Thousands of women \ stood in persistent drizzle to watch Chinese dancers, dru-l miners and lion dancers < lose the gathering of thou-i sands of private activists from around the world.

Hie forum leaves the stage . io a main UN meeting at Beijing, where organisers i claimed small breakthroughs in battles between the religious conservatives and feminists for the future equality of । sexes.

' The chairman of the main | committee of the FWCW and 1 of the UN Commission on I Status of Women (CSW). Dr I Palrecia Lecuanan has one | i fiessSg? keep dHflghffox

NGOs. she said, who have played an active role in the preparatory process will have to continue putting pressure on governments to monitor compliance with the agreements reached in the Beijing Platform for Action.

The pace of discussion at the UN conference is slow, but observers are optimistic

See also page8 about accord on the three contentious issues — rights, resources and reproductive health.

Dr Nafis Sadik, head of UNFPA, strongly defended the Cairo Action Plan in her sjieech at the UN conference Wednesday. She said that the first mark of respect for women is support for their reproductive rights. None has the right to impose reproductive restrictions on them, she said.

The High Commissioner for Human Rights, in an open letter to the NGO Forum, congratulated the Women's Organisations on their vision and commitment. The Commissioner also hailed them for the work they have done for human rights for people everywhere in the world.,

'The forum was a turning point in the women's movement." said Xu Zhijian. Chinese vice-president of the organising committee, at a closing news conference.

And veteran American feminist Bela Abzug said the turnout of 30.000 participants showed "the women's movement is alive and well and kicking."

There were hugs, tears and vows to meet again as women activists — famed feminists, lesbians. Roman Catholic nuns, prostitutes and little-known women rights campaigners — from more than 150 nations said farewell.

Departing delegates were given gifts and moon cakes, the rich pastry traditionally eaten during the Chinese mid-autumn festival.

Thal parliamentarian Supatra Masdit, convenor of the Non-Governmental Forum (NGO) on Women, declared the meeting a success.

"We all leave here with many lessons to reflect on."

Supatra said. "Reports of human rights problems ... have marred the accomplishments of this gathering."

There was applause, though. when Supatra thanked the Chinese government and the people of China — and the ovation swelled when she mentioned the Chinese volunteers who helped to run the conference, and the people of Huairou.

Some participants, however. blasted what they called "unacceptable Intrusions and interferences" by Chinese security.

Sunila Abeyasekera of Sri Lanka said a group formed by the Women's Human Rights Caucus would collect complaints about harassment and surveillance until the end of the UN gathering on Sept 15.

Many non-governmental representatives are staying on to lobby and observe the official conference.

At another news conference several women blamed the raucous portrayal of the forum on biased Western

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media."

Lebanon's Siba Fahoum. who presided over the news conference. complained Western press reports only picked up negative factors.'

At the Iman, more formal conference site, tight security was also on display when police detained briefly a Hong Kong television crew after a scuffle during presentation of a human rights petition.

China's official Xinhua news agency said the Incident erupted when cameraman Au-Yeung Cham hit a guard who was trying to stop a protest march from obstructing traffic.

The trio were taken to a police station and released after a brief interrogation. Xinhua said.

Inside the hall where the biggest-ever UN meeting Is taking place battles of a different kind are under way.

The debates involved decision on whether to keep phrases enclosed in so-called holy brackets' in a declaration to be issued al the end of the conference and which Is meant to set the agenda for women's rights In the next 10 years.

The battles primarily involved disputes about whet her modern views of worn en’s rights should take precedence over traditional religious and other practices.

With one week to go before the declaration Is Issue:', only about 10 per cent of 430 bracketed Items have been solved, a UN spokesman told reporters.