Women's Conference Educates Against 'Discrimination'

International Women's Day at Harvard next Saturday will feature a conference on "the national and sexual oppression of women" with particular interest in drawing Third World women to the movement, Karen Winkler '78, a member of the Committee for Women's Studies, said yesterday.

Jointly sponsored by the committee and the Task Force on Affirmative Action, the conference will have speakers, workshops and panel discussions on issues relating to women and minorities.

"The program will bring women together to develop strategies, to fight the discrimination of women, particularly of Third World nationalities, at Harvard," Winkler said.

Issues to be discussed include women's studies, affirmative action and minority and women recruitment in admissions.

International Women's Day is celebrated every March 8 to recognize women's struggle and the rise of the liberation movement, Rita Payne, a member of the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom, said yesterday.

Payne said the occasion originated in the early 1900s when women factory workers held a series of strikes to demand better rights for themselves and their families.

"Since then, of course, the meaning has altered a bit," Payne added. "Now it's a way of indicating the need for world-wide solidarity of women."

"We want to educate people about Women's Studies in order to mobilize women to take a leading role in their own self-determination." Winkler said.