CIA information report, April 1949 (catalogued 18 April): 'The WIDF in the Far East'. Lists delegates at the WIDF Council's first session (Paris, Feb 1947) and traces WIDF contacts in China, Malaya, Hong Kong and Singapore, a proposed 1948 fact-finding commission on women in India, Indonesia and elsewhere, and plans af
CIA report, 30 April 1951, on 'Women Communists in Indonesia': Chinese and Indonesian women's links, the Stockholm peace appeal, and Gerwis chair 'Sri Mangunsarkoro' protesting France's ban on the WIDF. Early foreign surveillance of Gerwis's WIDF ties.
Femmes du monde entier no. 50, January 1951, the French-language WIDF bulletin issued from Berlin. Editorial and reports urge women to back the Second World Peace Congress's address to the UN: Korea, Formosa and Vietnam, banning mass-destruction weapons, colonial oppression (Madagascar, Vietnam, South Africa), war prop
CIA report, 6 July 1953, on Gerwis commissars assigned to West Java areas (Djatinegara, Bogor, Sukabumi, Cianjur, Bandung), with background on Kartinah and Kartowijono and their ties to Perwari, peace and WIDF activity. Names regional Gerwis leaders.
US State Department Office of Intelligence Research report IR-6165, 'Communism in the Free World' (January 1953), a compilation of about 30 country studies of communist capabilities, held in the CIA reading room. The Indonesia study (IR-6165.3) covers PKI aims and tactics, labour, and front organisations. Section VI.A
Tribune (Sydney), 14 Oct 1953, p. 6: three Australian delegates (Flo Davis, Joyce Egan, Fuchsia Lewin) describe the WIDF World Congress of Women, Copenhagen, June 1953 (1,187 women, 70 countries). They stress peace, equal pay and socialist-bloc childcare. Indonesia appears briefly: Indonesian women urge support for a K
Tribune (Sydney), 14 Oct 1953, p. 6: three Australian delegates (Flo Davis, Joyce Egan, Fuchsia Lewin) describe the WIDF World Congress of Women, Copenhagen, June 1953 (1,187 women, 70 countries). They stress peace, equal pay and socialist-bloc childcare. Indonesia appears briefly: Indonesian women urge support for a K
Southern Cross (Adelaide), 30 April 1954, p. 16, anti-communist piece listing 'Communist-sponsored' international meetings for the coming year. Only a passing reference touches the field: an International Children's Defence Day under the WIDF, and a World Peasant Youth Congress expected in Jakarta in November. A separa
Tribune (Sydney), 12 May 1954, p. 11: Allison Dickie, Union of Australian Women delegate, reports on the 1954 Indonesian women's congress. She describes Gerwis, the league of women 'more politically awake', whose work helped hundreds of thousands become literate and from which Gerwani developed; the six-day Gerwani Nat
Tribune (Sydney), 12 May 1954, p. 11: Allison Dickie, Union of Australian Women delegate, reports on the 1954 Indonesian women's congress. She describes Gerwis, the league of women 'more politically awake', whose work helped hundreds of thousands become literate and from which Gerwani developed; the six-day Gerwani Nat
Morning Bulletin (Rockhampton), 1 June 1954, p. 9, report of Allison Dickie, Victorian president of the Union of Australian Women, on her return from an Indonesian women's conference in Jakarta (360 delegates for 60,000 women; Dutch WIDF delegates present). She describes sex equality in the provisional constitution but
CIA intelligence survey of the PKI's history, structure and front organisations, May 1955, before the September 1955 elections. Section III.E (report pp. 49-50) profiles Gerwani: founded 1950 as Gerwis, renamed Gerwani at the March 1954 congress, 25,000+ members, S.K. Trimurti general chairman and Umi Sardjono chairman
Chinese-language transcript (scan, noisy OCR; English translation read) of a conversation between Zhou Enlai, Deng Yingchao and Eugenie Cotton, WIDF president, 22/23 May 1955 (Wilson Center Digital Archive). They discuss women's role in peace, the planned World Mothers' Congress in Paris, Franco-German reconciliation a
Wilson Center Digital Archive catalogue page (text only, no transcript) for the 23 May 1955 conversation between Zhou Enlai, Deng Yingchao and WIDF president Eugenie Cotton, from Zhou Enlai Waijiao wenxuan (1990), pp. 140-148. The abstract notes Cotton's pleasure with her China visit, her call to unite women's federati
CIA compilation 'WIDF: A Compilation of Available Basic Information' (Oct 1956). In its affiliate list it gives Gerwani (Gerakan Wanita Indonesia) claimed strength of 281,000 (Feb 1955) and 565,147 (Apr 1956), with president Umi Sardjono and vice-president Suharti Suwarto (p.20); the WIDF Council list shows Indonesian
CIA compilation of reference data (February 1957, data to 1 October 1956) on international communist-front organisations and friendship societies, including the Women's International Democratic Federation (WIDF). The WIDF directory lists headquarters, publications, executive officers and national affiliates. Under Indo
Tribune (Sydney), 8 Jan 1958, p. 8: from Jakarta, Sukarno attended a party of the Indonesian National Preparatory Committee for the Asian-African Women's Conference due in Colombo in February; chair Mme Subandrio says it is inspired by the Bandung spirit. WIDF sends solidarity to Indonesian women in their 'courageous s
Tribune (Sydney), 8 Jan 1958, p. 8: from Jakarta, Sukarno attended a party of the Indonesian National Preparatory Committee for the Asian-African Women's Conference due in Colombo in February; chair Mme Subandrio says it is inspired by the Bandung spirit. WIDF sends solidarity to Indonesian women in their 'courageous s
CIA/US government study (September 1958) surveying the activities of the international Communist fronts (World Peace Council, Afro-Asian Solidarity Council, WFDY/IUS, WIDF, WFTU and others) in 1958. Chapter IV covers WIDF's Fourth Congress (Vienna, 1-5 June 1958) and secretariat. Gerwani appears only briefly: Suharti (
Tribune magazine page, 1 Oct 1958, p. 6: Mary Lester (Union of Australian Women, Perth) reports on the Fourth World Congress of Women (WIDF, Vienna, June 1958; 76 countries). Themes: atomic-test ban, status of women, children's education. Indonesia appears only in passing: two women MPs from Indonesia, with Indian and
Tribune magazine page, 1 Oct 1958, p. 6: Mary Lester (Union of Australian Women, Perth) reports on the Fourth World Congress of Women (WIDF, Vienna, June 1958; 76 countries). Themes: atomic-test ban, status of women, children's education. Indonesia appears only in passing: two women MPs from Indonesia, with Indian and
Tribune (SA edition), 14 Jun 1961, p. 2: Perth Union of Australian Women observes the WIDF-called Week of Solidarity (28 May-2 June) with countries struggling for independence. Members send cables and cards to women's organisations in Laos, Vietnam, Indonesia and Cuba; a visiting Indonesian speaker at a luncheon discus
Tribune (Sydney), 10 Jan 1962, p. 3: Gloria Garton, UAW national president, reports on her 3.5 weeks in Indonesia as WIDF and UAW representative at the 4th Gerwani Congress in Jakarta (14-17 Dec 1961) and a Java tour, with meetings of up to 2,000 in Semarang and Yogyakarta. Says West Irian is the biggest unifying issue
Tribune (Sydney), 10 Jan 1962, p. 3: Gloria Garton, UAW national president, reports on her 3.5 weeks in Indonesia as WIDF and UAW representative at the 4th Gerwani Congress in Jakarta (14-17 Dec 1961) and a Java tour, with meetings of up to 2,000 in Semarang and Yogyakarta. Says West Irian is the biggest unifying issue
Tribune (Sydney), 24 Jan 1962, p. 10: Perth UAW secretary Mrs M. Lester says the UAW wrote to Indonesian women leaders and to Gerwani, described as WIDF-affiliated, supporting Indonesia's claim to West New Guinea and saying Australian leaders do not speak for many sympathetic Australians. It also wrote to ALP leader Ca
Tribune (Sydney), 24 Jan 1962, p. 10: Perth UAW secretary Mrs M. Lester says the UAW wrote to Indonesian women leaders and to Gerwani, described as WIDF-affiliated, supporting Indonesia's claim to West New Guinea and saying Australian leaders do not speak for many sympathetic Australians. It also wrote to ALP leader Ca
Chinese-published pamphlet (Foreign Languages Press, Peking, 1963) with statements and a report by Yang Yun-yu attacking Soviet and WIDF leaders at the June 1963 Moscow World Congress of Women over anti-imperialism versus disarmament and peaceful coexistence. It records the Indonesian delegation, led by Umi Sardjono, s
Tribune (Sydney), 23 Jan 1963, p. 10, women's column: notes that Freda Brown, UAW national secretary, attended the WIDF Council in East Germany planning the Fifth World Congress of Women (Moscow, June 1963) and also visited the Soviet Union and Indonesia; her articles are promised. Other items unrelated (tax rebates, F
Peking Review no. 27 (5 July 1963), Chinese state weekly, reporting the WIDF World Congress of Women in Moscow (June 1963). It covers the Chinese delegation's votes against the WIDF programme and Appeal, its statements, and the clash with the Indian delegate and chair over the Sino-Indian border. Umi Sardjono, head of
CIA Bi-Weekly Propaganda Guidance, 15 July 1963, on the Sino-Soviet clash at the WIDF Moscow World Congress of Women (June 1963). It quotes the Indonesian press of 9 July, per NCNA, carrying a statement by Maasje Siwi, general secretary of GERWANI, condemning the undemocratic handling of the congress and saying Gerwani