Soviet Woman, 31 Dec 1954: Supardjo, 'Distance Is No Bar to Friendship'
Soviet Woman, 31 Dec 1954, p. 4: Supardjo, an Indonesian public figure of Taman Siswa, reflects on the first Indonesian women's delegation's three-week USSR tour (factories, collective farms, schools). Stresses peace, the Indonesian Peace Committee and anti-illiteracy work. Gerwis/Gerwani are not named, but it document
WIDF commemorative booklet (Berlin, 1955) for its tenth anniversary: history from the 1945 Paris founding congress, peace and anti-atom campaigns, the 1953 Copenhagen Congress, children's work, the 1955 Lausanne World Congress of Mothers. Page 28 states that in Indonesia 'the women's organization which had 6,000 member
Women of the Whole World no. 89, April 1955: cover note on Balinese women
Cover note of Women of the Whole World no. 89 (April 1955, 10th year), stamped by the Amsterdam Institute of Social History. The cover photo shows Balinese women, described as largely bound by feudal tradition yet joining the fight to strengthen the country's independence. No Gerwani mention.
The Crescent and the Rising Sun: Indonesian Islam under the Japanese Occupation of Java 1942-45 (Benda, 1955)
Harry J. Benda, The Crescent and the Rising Sun: Indonesian Islam under the Japanese Occupation of Java, 1942-45 (PhD thesis, Cornell, June 1955), on Japanese policy towards Islam, Masjumi and the mass organisations Putera and Hokokai. Gerwani is not mentioned (it was founded after the thesis's period). The only women'
Djakarta postpones the evil day (The Observer, 16 January 1955)
The Observer, 16 Jan 1955, p.7, Rawle Knox, 'Djakarta Postpones the Evil Day': impressionistic report from Jakarta on a lively, disorderly capital, the Ali Sastroamidjojo government's dependence on Communist support, Sukarno's drift from impartiality, the delayed first election and anti-Dutch boycotts. A passing quote
Indian Daily Mail, 2 Mar 1955: Indonesian Women's 3rd Congress, Palembang
Indian Daily Mail, 2 Mar 1955 (lead only). Announces the Third Indonesian Women's Congress (Kowani) in Palembang, 2-6 March, attended by 300 members of main committees of women's organisations nationwide; the congress preparatory chairman spoke at a press conference.
Indonesian Women's 3rd Congress, Palembang, 2-6 March 1955 (Indian Daily Mail)
Indian Daily Mail (Singapore), 2 March 1955, p. 1: the third Indonesian Women's Congress is held in Palembang, 2-6 March, with 300 delegates of women's organisations. Preparatory committee chair is Mrs S.A. Hanafiah (Gerwani), secretary Mrs R. Mailan (Gerwani), treasurer Mrs Djauhari; Perwari, Gerwani, Wanita Demokrat
Soviet Woman, 30 Apr 1955: 'Visit to Indonesia' (V. Mikosha and I. Sokolnikov)
Soviet Woman, 30 Apr 1955, p. 36 (fragment): 'Visit to Indonesia' by film-makers V. Mikosha and I. Sokolnikov, describing two months filming a documentary in Indonesia. Includes filming the welcome at Jakarta airfield for an Indonesian women's delegation returning from the USSR. Umi Sardjono, listed in metadata, does n
Daily Worker, 13 May 1955: Perwari, Indonesia's largest women's organisation, joins Asian women leaders (assail polygamy
Page 8 of the Daily Worker (New York, 13 May 1955). A short Djakarta dispatch (12 May) reports that the central committee of Perwari, described as Indonesia's largest women's organisation, joined Pakistani women in criticising Prime Minister Mohammed Ali's second marriage, and recalls Perwari's protest the previous yea
Conversation between Zhou Enlai, Deng Yingchao and WIDF President Eugenie Cotton, 1955
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
Biography of Mrs Mudigdio (Siti Aminah), Harian Rakjat 8 Sep 1955, in US Monthly Indonesian Press Survey
US State Department Monthly Indonesian Press Survey (HathiTrust, vol. no. 11-21), p. 40, translating Harian Rakjat's 8 Sep 1955 biographies of PKI parliamentary candidates. Mrs Mudigdio (Siti Aminah Nahsjam Marah Umar), born Medan 1904, active in women's organisations from age 14, in Pertindo 1931-34, MP since 1945, an
Report of Mrs. Henry G. Fowler to the Asia Foundation, 1956
Two-page report submitted to the Asia Foundation in 1956 by Mrs Henry G. Fowler, chair of the American Committee of a women's group promoting US-Asian understanding through newsletters, UN reports, programmes and hospitality. Mentions an Asian-American discussion group including Indonesia and talks on Indonesian women'
World Conference of Women Workers, Budapest 1956 (WIDF issue)
Issue of Women of the Whole World (no. 105, 1956) on the World Conference of Women Workers in Budapest, 14-17 June 1956 (497 delegates, 44 countries): reports on wage discrimination, working mothers, African women, Latin America, plus a contents list pointing to the Indonesian delegate's speech. This page itself says l
1956 WIDF bulletin item on Indonesia: the Gerwani Central Council's report on cooperation with other women's organisations, overcoming mistrust, membership rising from 281,000 to 565,147, local marriage-rights actions, rural work with peasant groups, the All-Indonesia Women's Congress adopting Gerwani's proposed Charte
Monthly Indonesian Press Survey, 1956: SOBSI national council, women delegates Sri Ambar and Setiati Surasto
US State Department Monthly Indonesian Press Survey (nos. 11-21, 1956), p. 457: an item on the second session of the SOBSI national council, opened in Jakarta on 21 February 1956. It lists women present, including Setiati Surasto of Sarbupri and Sri Ambar of the labour-ministry union SB Kemperbu, with Tuti, Rantijem an
Moscow News, 30 May 1956: Indonesian women's delegation in Moscow
Moscow News (English), 30 May 1956, p. 5. Among general items (Afghan independence day, Anglo-Soviet and trade comment), a short piece reports a delegation of Indonesian women arriving in Moscow at the invitation of the Central Council of Trade Unions, led by Setiati Surasto, secretary of the plantation workers' union,
FBIS, 29 June 1956: Women's Asian-African conference (Kowani consultative committee)
FBIS item (29 Jun 1956): the Indonesian Women's Congress consultative committee (executive members of Indonesian women's organisations) will meet in Jakarta on 2 July to discuss a projected Asian-African women's conference; the organisations agreed sponsors should be the Bandung Conference countries: India, Indonesia,
Daily Worker, 24 July 1956: Women unionists from 42 lands hold conference in Budapest
Page 4 of the Daily Worker (New York, 24 Jul 1956) reporting a Budapest conference of women trade unionists from 42 countries called by the WFTU, which demanded equal pay and opportunities and paid maternity leave. An unnamed delegate from Indonesia is cited on women workers being treated as cheap labour. Gerwani is no
FBIS, 28 September 1956: Indonesian women's delegation (to China)
FBIS item (28 Sep 1956): a six-member Indonesian women's delegation led by Mrs Roeslan Abdulgani, wife of the foreign minister, reached Hong Kong and Singapore en route to Peking, invited by the Chinese Government to the National Day celebrations and to stay until 10 October. Context for official women's delegations to
US Monthly Indonesian Press Survey (1957): Gerwani leaders and branches, Umi Sardjono chair
US Monthly Indonesian Press Survey (1957) extracts: a Central Borneo women's committee, including Gerwani, backing Sukarno's Concept and asking that marriage law be prioritised; Kowani's Fourth Congress (Surabaya) with Mudigdio of Gerwani as treasurer; Muljani as Central Java Gerwani chair; new North Sumatra and Jakart
Letter from Emma Poeradiredja to Helen Fowler, 12 January 1957
Letter from Emma Poeradiredja (Bandung, 12 January 1957) to Helen Fowler, answering a request to describe Indonesian women's work. She explains the Kongres Wanita Indonesia umbrella, its three foundations, women's organisations by type (social, officials' wives, political), kindergartens, schools, cooperatives and the
Letter from Helen Fowler to Emma Poeradiredja, 15 February 1957
Letter from Helen Fowler to Emma Poeradiredja dated 15 February 1957, handwritten; OCR is almost entirely unreadable, so the summary rests on the title. It appears to be a friendly reply to Poeradiredja's January 1957 letter about Indonesian women's work and her planned US visit. Gerwani is not evident.
1957 'Letter to an Unknown Friend' by Sudjinah (Gerwani) on Indonesian children's conditions, framed by colonial history, Japanese occupation and the Round Table agreement. Gives statistics (15-20% infant mortality, one doctor per 59,000, illiteracy 65%, 5 of 12 million children in school) and notes Gerwani, with the I
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
Woman and the Changing Marriage Pattern of Indonesia (van der Kroef, 1957)
Journal article by Justus M. van der Kroef (American Catholic Sociological Review, June 1957) on women's status and marriage in Indonesia: adat versus Islamic law, polygamy, divorce rates, colonial and revolutionary change. Surveys women's organisations (Perwari, Kowani) and notes Kowani's early left turn and WIDF cont
Talk on Indonesian Women for N.C.W. (Canberra Times, 7 May 1957)
Canberra Times 'What People Are Doing' social column, 7 May 1957, p. 5. Only Gerwani-adjacent item: Mrs Urbani, wife of an Indonesian Embassy first secretary, will address the Canberra branch of the National Council of Women on 'Women in Indonesia'. Rest is unrelated local notices.
FBIS, 14 September 1957: Indonesian women visitors (delegation to China)
FBIS-monitored Xinhua item (14 Sep 1957): the Chinese ambassador's wife, Mme Huang Chen, gave a reception in Jakarta on 13 Sept for a 12-member Indonesian women's delegation leaving for China, led by Mme Hadjot (fifth vice-chairman of the Constituent Assembly); the group would attend China's National Day. Official-circ
FBIS, 26 September 1957: Indonesian women entertained (Peking)
Very garbled FBIS item (26 Sep 1957) from Xinhua: a reception in Peking on 26 September for Indonesian women members of Dr. Hatta's party (Mohammad Hatta's delegation), hosted by a vice-president of the All-China Democratic Women's Federation, with the wife of Ambassador Sukardjo Wirjopranoto and Indonesian embassy wom
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
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.