FBIS, 25 September 1954: Report on USSR (Gerwani-sponsored meeting)
FBIS item (25 Sep 1954): on 24 September three Indonesian women who recently visited the Soviet Union lectured on their impressions: social care of women, workers, equal rights, absence of prostitution and marriage legislation. The meeting, sponsored by Gerwani, drew a large audience of women and trade unionists. Shows
Indonesia: social protection for mothers and children (Suwarti Bintang Suradi, 1957)
Excerpt from the WIDF Information Bulletin No. 14 (1957): Mme Suwarti (Suwarti Bintang Suradi), member of the Gerwani executive, reports on social insurance and protection for mothers and children in Indonesia. She notes obstacles for women officials, company rules such as Shell-BPM ending employment on marriage, lack
US Monthly Indonesian Press Survey (1958): National Conference of Communist Women
US Monthly Indonesian Press Survey (1958) analysis of the First National Conference of Communist Women (Jakarta, 26-31 May 1958). Aidit's address presents the 'Communist woman' and calls for a wider Gerwani; Suharti Suwarto (Gerwani second deputy chair) and Sundari report on women's groups, only 100,000 women PKI membe
Geeta Mukherjee, 'About the Movement of Indonesian Women' (WIDF Circular Attachment, 21 April 1958)
Report by Indian MP Geeta Mukherjee on Gerwani, attached to a WIDF circular of 21 April 1958, based on talks with her neighbour Suwarti Bintang Suradi, WIDF Secretariat member and Gerwani organisation chair. It covers Gerwis's 1950 origin and renaming, the Third Congress, membership growth (to 460,000 by August 1957),
WIDF study publication (Berlin, 1958) on protection of motherhood as a right of women and a responsibility of society, with country contributions from Study Days participants, the ILO Convention 103 text and national summaries. It names Suwarti Bintang Suradi as Gerwani executive member and constituent assembly member.
Weekly Situation Reports, Indonesia, January 1960 (State Department Central Files)
Compilation of Djakarta embassy weekly political, economic and military situation telegrams to the State Department, January 1960. One item (21 Jan) reports labour union and women representatives picketing the Trade Minister's office over prices despite an army ban, with a newspaper identifying many women as members of
Indonesian Labor Conditions: Unions, December 1960
Short compilation of US embassy telegrams and airgrams (Dec 1960) on Indonesian labour and unions. A 3 Dec telegram reports the South Sumatra-Jambi military command's continued ban on PKI and affiliates including SOBSI, PERBUM, Pemuda Rakyat and Gerwani after regulation changes; other items concern SOBSI and union cond
Umi Sardjono, 'Change the face of our homeland step by step' (speech to the MPRS, Harian Rakjat, 19 December 1960; JPRS
JPRS translation (1961) of Umi Sardjono's speech to the MPRS plenary, Harian Rakjat 19 Dec 1960, 'Change the Face of Our Homeland Step by Step', backing the eight-year development plan: self-sufficiency in food and clothing, heavy industry, distribution controls, cooperatives, and price policy; she addresses women's su
US Embassy Despatches on PKI Tactics and the SOBSI Women's Labour Seminar, May 1961
US Embassy Djakarta despatches to the State Department, May 1961. One reports conservative views (Mohammad Roem) that the PKI won a limited victory by gaining legal recognition. The other reports the SOBSI National Seminar on Labouring Women (Jakarta, 11-14 May 1961), attended by Djuanda and Gerwani central board membe
Communists of Indonesia beloved by the people
Tribune (Sydney), 23 May 1962, p. 9: Laurie Aarons, Communist Party of Australia fraternal delegate, praises the Seventh Congress of the PKI as a mass party (383 delegates, 'two million' members) led by D.N. Aidit, with Sukarno speaking at the closing rally. Lists the mass organisations it leads: BTI, SOBSI and Gerwani
Communists of Indonesia beloved by the people
Tribune (Sydney), 23 May 1962, p. 9: Laurie Aarons, Communist Party of Australia fraternal delegate, praises the Seventh Congress of the PKI as a mass party (383 delegates, 'two million' members) led by D.N. Aidit, with Sukarno speaking at the closing rally. Lists the mass organisations it leads: BTI, SOBSI and Gerwani
Indonesia Protest at Mass Arrests (News-Mail, 6 February 1963), duplicate OCR
News-Mail (Bundaberg), 6 February 1963, p. 7, AAP-Reuter wire from Jakarta (duplicate OCR of GA-00265, with scrambled columns). SOBSI cabled protest to Singapore over mass arrests of leftists on 2-3 February; Partindo and Gerwani also protested. Also reports Brunei's Sultan warning against Indonesian volunteers and Gen
Indonesia Protest at Mass Arrests (News-Mail, 6 February 1963)
News-Mail (Bundaberg), 6 February 1963, p. 7, AAP-Reuter wire from Jakarta (clean OCR). The SOBSI federation, claiming three million members, cabled Singapore condemning its mass arrests of leftists as a move to quell opposition to Malaysia, and Partindo and Gerwani also protested. The Sultan of Brunei warned against a
Straits Times, 6 Feb 1963: SOBSI protests to Singapore Government over mass arrests
Straits Times, 6 Feb 1963 (lead only). SOBSI cabled a protest to the Singapore government over mass arrests of leftists, speaking for three million Indonesian workers. Matched on Gerwani; the companion Berita Harian item reports Gerwani joined the protest.
Straits Times, 25 Mar 1963: Java Reds in protest march (Purwokerto)
Straits Times, 25 Mar 1963 (lead only). 1,500 Communists demonstrated in Purwokerto, Central Java, against the high cost of living (Antara), involving PKI members and affiliates including Pemuda Rakyat; Gerwani likely among the affiliates though the lead is cut.
Java Reds in protest march, Purwokerto (Straits Times, 1963)
The Straits Times, 25 March 1963, p. 2, UPI/Antara: 1,500 communists demonstrate in Purwokerto, Central Java, against high prices and the cost of living; participants came from the PKI and affiliates including Pemuda Rakyat, Gerwani, BTI and Lekra. They petition for lower prices and the inclusion of communists in the C
Sign for better nylons!
Tribune (Sydney), 28 Aug 1963, p. 9: preparations for the UAW's third national conference (nylon stockings, drug costs, equal pay petitions, anti-nuclear letters). The public opening rally on 13 Sept will welcome visitors from the WIDF, the Soviet Women's Committee (Nina Bogomolova) and Gerwani, described as an Indones
Sign for better nylons!
Tribune (Sydney), 28 Aug 1963, p. 9: preparations for the UAW's third national conference (nylon stockings, drug costs, equal pay petitions, anti-nuclear letters). The public opening rally on 13 Sept will welcome visitors from the WIDF, the Soviet Women's Committee (Nina Bogomolova) and Gerwani, described as an Indones
Sukarno rejects demand for ban on Sukarnoism (South China Morning Post, 14 December 1964)
South China Morning Post, 14 Dec 1964, p.28 (Jakarta, 13 Dec; fragmentary OCR): Sukarno rejects a demand to ban 'Sukarnoism', and the item notes that Antara reported hundreds of members of Gerwani, 'the Communist women's organisation', demonstrated outside government offices in Medan the previous Wednesday with signs d
Straits Times, 14 Dec 1964: communist women's organisation demonstrates in Medan
Straits Times, 14 Dec 1964 (lead only). A communist women's organisation, Gerwani, held a demonstration against the government in Medan, North Sumatra, the previous Wednesday, urging lower prices of common goods; Antara reported 'hundreds' of members took part.
CIA Bi-Weekly Propaganda Guidance, 8 November 1965 (WFTU Congress, AAPSO, Setiati Surasto)
CIA Bi-Weekly Propaganda Guidance of 8 Nov 1965 on Communist fronts (commentary 13-26 Oct 1965, WFTU Warsaw Congress, AAPSO Havana conference, Chinese foreign policy). Setiati Surasto appears only in a list of newly elected WFTU officials (Indonesia); the document notes the WIDF 20th anniversary and Indonesian delegate
Politics in Simalungun: A Study in Political Integration (Liddle, 1967)
PhD dissertation (Yale, 1967) by R. William Liddle, a political-science study of local parties and political integration in Simalungun regency and Pematangsiantar, North Sumatra, based on 1963-64 fieldwork. Gerwani appears in a few brief passages in ch. VI: listed among PKI mass organizations (p. 190), given no members
Ummah Yet Proletariat: Islam and Marxism in the Netherlands East Indies and Indonesia, 1915-1959 (Lin, 2020)
PhD dissertation (History, University of Washington, 2020) by Hongxuan Lin tracing the confluence of Islam and Marxism in the Netherlands East Indies and Indonesia, 1915-1959, through vernacular print culture; it genealogises Sukarno's NASAKOM. Gerwani appears only briefly: citing Blackburn, it says millions joined for
Tempo English, 4 October 2021: End of the Road (Umi Sardjono)
English-edition Tempo cover story 'End of the Road' (4 Oct 2021, Retno Sulistyowati), a translation from the Umi Sardjono special report. It traces Umi's formation in Pathuk Youth, Pesindo, BBW with S.K. Trimurti, Madiun 1948 arrest, founding of Gerwis (Semarang, 3-6 Jun 1950), Gerwani growth from 80,000 to 650,000 (19
Red Nanyang: Chinese-Language Literature of Indonesia, 1945-1965 (Borgonjon, 2025)
Columbia PhD dissertation (2025) by David Borgonjon, the first full-length study of Chinese-language (yinhua) literature in Indonesia 1945-65, set within Sino-Indonesian friendship, Afro-Asian translation and Guided Democracy-era debates on labour and schooling. Gerwani is barely present: a glossary entry gives Gerwani