President and government at women's congress in Budapest (WIDF second congress opens)
Short De Waarheid report (3 Dec 1948) on the opening of the second WIDF congress in Budapest, attended by President Szakasits and the Hungarian government. Chinese and Soviet women were cheered; delegates from Vietnam were denied visas and women from Indonesia, Iran and Argentina were still awaited.
Salatiga: International Women's Day and a Gerwis meeting
De Locomotief, 10 Mar 1953: International Women's Day in Salatiga was marked by a baby show with 150 babies, explained by the federation chair Mrs Hadisukotjo. Separately, Gerwis held a well-attended meeting where a Jakarta central board delegate talked about her experiences at the world congress in Vienna (the 1952 Co
The Third World Women's Congress: 1,700 delegates from over 80 countries in Copenhagen
De Waarheid, 10 Jun 1953, p. 5: air-mail report from Copenhagen on the Third World Congress of Women (WIDF): 1,700 delegates from over 80 countries, opened by Eugenie Cotton, with speeches by Chinese and Soviet delegates and a Dutch delegate. Delegates from Korea, Malaya and Vietnam were refused entry. Indonesian deleg
Other trade unions: Sarbupri strike and BTI congress solidarity
De Vrije Pers fragment (17 Sep 1953) on trade-union reactions to the Sarbupri plantation workers' strike. It notes that the BTI's second congress, attended by SOBSI, Pemuda Rakyat and Gerwis representatives, declared solidarity with the strike and instructed its branches to support strikers.
Rie Lips in Indonesia: arrival for the second Gerwis congress
De Waarheid, 14 Apr 1954, p. 5: report on NVB chair Rie Lips and British writer Monica Felton arriving in Jakarta for the second Gerwis congress, warmly welcomed. Lips described Dutch women's protests against the colonial wars and support for conscientious objectors. The opening reception was attended by Jakarta mayor
Gerwis and Gerwani: congress decides to change the name
De Waarheid, 12 May 1954, p. 5: short note that the recent congress of the Indonesian women's movement unanimously decided to change the name Gerwis to Gerwani, because 'Gerwis' (aware women) implied that only aware women could join, whereas every Indonesian woman should be able to become a member. Key evidence for the
On the plantations: Rie Lips tells about Indonesia
De Waarheid, 12 May 1954, p. 5: Rie Lips's account of her Java trip: plantation workers' wages (about 3 rupiah per day), child labour on tea and rubber estates, and volunteer village schools. Quotes the Gerwani congress appeal that those who can read should teach others; Soviet delegate Alexandra Kolopowa speaks; photo
Gerwani conference in Salatiga on implementing congress decisions
De Locomotief, 29 July 1954: the Salatiga branch of Gerwani, with Central Java provincial delegates and BTI, SOBSI and women's organisation representatives, discusses implementing the latest congress decisions. Sub-branches will be set up in every subdistrict capital. Gerwani fields no candidates in the elections but i
Gerwani congress: forced marriages must be abolished in modern Indonesia
Algemeen Indisch Dagblad (1954-11-30, p. 2): two-day congress of Gerwani's Bandung branch ('formerly Gerwis') sends sympathy to Maisoeri, a sixteen-year-old in South Sumatra jailed for refusing a forced marriage to a sixty-year-old, and calls for abolishing forced marriages. It also demands bans on 'modern dances' and
Sukarno now supreme commander: New Guinea plans being worked out
Nieuwe Haarlemsche Courant, 15 December 1961: Reuters report that Sukarno chaired the first meeting of a 15-member national defence council as supreme commander for the 'return' of Western New Guinea. At the opening of the Gerwani congress he again said he would use armed force to liberate West Irian.