Vitality, Resilience Author: Catherine Didion

EDITOR'S NOTE: In September Didion, executive director of the Association for Women in Science (AWIS), was among an AWIS delegation attending the United Nations Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing, China, and the Non Governmental Organization Forum held in the small town of Huairou, an hour from Beijing. Noting that the torrential rain in Huairou -- the effects of which were exacerbated by the uncomfortable conference facilities -- and participants' fights with the Chinese government over surveillance and restricted access received much media attention, Didion reports: "I can confirm that we jumped over many hurdles to participate ... but these pale in comparison to the vitality and strength of the women scientists we met from all over the world." Following is her account of the forum and conference.

Many of the reports on the United Nations Fourth World Conference on Women and the accompanying...

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