Los Angeles Times (LT) - TUESDAY September 12, 1995 Edition: Home Edition Page: 7 Pt. A Word Count: 413
Maggie Farley; Times Staff Writer

After 16 hours of debate, a subcommittee accommodated representatives of predominantly Roman Catholic and Muslim countries, who believe that sex education encourages premarital sex and sexually transmitted diseases, and others who insist that lack of education puts youths more at risk.

The subcommittee's language will go into the draft "Platform for Action," the document that delegates will take home to their governments to help guide the improvement of women's status.

"It's a good compromise, because it balances the desire of parents to have a strong role and acknowledges disparate cultural traditions while protecting young people's right to confidential services," said Ruth Archibald, a Canadian delegate.

Delegates from Africa, worried about the rapid spread of AIDS among young people there, were instrumental in creating consensus.

"Half of those exposed to the HIV virus are under 25," said conference Secretary General Gertrude Mongella of Tanzania, in a speech Monday commemorating International Youth Day. "I feel saddened by the despair of African youth over their economic future and by the horrifying specter of HIV and AIDS, with the young most at risk."

The issue of parental rights was expected to be a major sticking point at the conference as discussions stretched out over four days. But Egyptian delegate Merwat Tallawy, chairwoman of the main subcommittee on health issues, brought discussion to a close on Monday evening with a bang of her gavel.

"Accepted," she said, to cheers from most of the delegates.

After a round of mutual thanks, she said to the tired crowd: "Now, I hope you will forgive me, because I want to get out of here."

Though most representatives in the conference room seemed to share that feeling, agreement on the text was not unanimous. Several groups criticized Monday's decision as an erosion of parental authority and family structure, and they warned they may express "reservations" in the final plenary session to show their disagreement.

"We won't give up (objecting to) anything destructive to the family as an institution," said Sudanese delegate Abdelrahim Eltilib, "including parental rights over their kids."

The final document still has to be approved this week by the conference's main committee, and until then, warned a Vatican representative, the issues can be reopened for debate.

CAPTION: Photo: UNITY: In a compromise measure, delegates to the U.N. women's conference struck a careful balance between the right of young people to have access to sex education and contraception and the right of their parents to know about it. Above, youth group sings at conference. Associated Press

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