Fifth Women's Congress opened in Jakarta (KOWANI)
Het Nieuwsblad voor Sumatra (28 Nov 1950, p.2): the KOWANI 5th women's congress opens in Jakarta with about 200 delegates; Mrs Pudjobuntoro says the struggle continues until Irian returns. Preliminary papers: Miss Soesilowati on elections and women in parliament, Mr Nani Suwondo on marriage, Miss Suwarti on labour and
Perwari in the Years of Struggle, 1951
Farewell report by outgoing Perwari chair Kusban, in Siaran Perwari (Jan 1951, congress issue), narrating Perwari's history during the revolution, including flight from Malang after the first Dutch attack in July 1947.
Abadi, 11 July 1951, p. 1: Pasuruan Women's Organisations' Halal Bihalal
Abadi, 11 July 1951, p. 1: brief note that Pasuruan women's organisations (Aisyiyah, Perwari, Gerwis, PPI) would hold a joint halal bihalal; also Surabaya groups opposing a Sukarno plan.
Merdeka, 8 August 1951: Peace Committee organisations form 17 August committee
Merdeka, 8 Agustus 1951 (hlm. 2): mass organisations under the Peace Committee form their own 17 August committee with a 'peace programme', Gerwis and Lekra running the programme section.
International Women's Day in Surabaya: women's federation meeting
Short De Vrije Pers notice (7 Mar 1952) that International Women's Day would be marked in Surabaya by the Gabungan Organisasi Wanita Surabaya, which includes Gerwis, Perwari, Christian and other women's groups at the regent's pendopo, while Chinese women's organisations held separate events.
Harian Rakjat, 23 April 1952: Kartini Day commemorations, Mrs Sri Kusnapsiah speaks
Page of the Jakarta daily Harian Rakjat, 23 April 1952 (Kartini Day issue; OCR very noisy). It reports Hari Kartini commemorations in Jakarta (about 650 women at Garden Hall), in The Hague, where Ny. S. Sri Kusnapsiah spoke on Kartini's aims and thought, and in Semarang, Bogor and elsewhere, alongside Wilopo-cabinet an
Baby care
Short Algemeen Indisch Dagblad notice (1952-06-12, p. 2) that a baby-care committee, Taman Baji Sehat, has been set up in (apparently Bandung) by women's associations including Parkiwa, Perwari, Gerwis and Persatuan Wanita Kristen, to open a crèche for babies of mothers who have died, are ill or work.
For withdrawal of the widows' pension regulation
Java-Bode, 19 Aug 1952, p. 2: Perwari, Wanita Rakjat, Wanita Demokrat, Gerwis and Pekerdja Wanita meet in Jakarta and agree to jointly urge the government to withdraw its new regulation on pensions for civil servants' widows; a delegation will see the prime minister.
Support for widows of freedom fighters
Java-Bode, 12 Sep 1952, p. 2: a Salatiga federation of local women's organisations including Perwari and Gerwis decides to found a foundation for widows of victims of the freedom struggle, to support those denied government aid; 50 such widows are recorded in Salatiga.
City news: Kartini Day tomorrow in Semarang
De Locomotief, 20 Apr 1953, city news: Semarang prepares Kartini Day, with a committee of women's associations chaired by Mrs Surya Hadi (Perwari), including Mrs Sri Hudarijah of Gerwis. Programme includes a commemoration meeting, a krontjong evening, a cooking competition, a dolls' exhibition and a foundation for a ho
Independence Day: sober celebration will mark this 17 August
Algemeen Indisch Dagblad (1953-08-14, p. 2): programme and committee for a sober 17 August celebration in Bandung (no slogans, only the Red-White flag), plus a sports programme. The committee's women treasurers include Mrs. Tata of Gerwis alongside Perwari and Parkiwa; PNI, Masyumi and PKI chair it. Much of the text is
A quiet invasion of the governor's office: women petition for a marriage law
De Locomotief, 17 Dec 1953: about a hundred women from seven Semarang associations, led by Perwari and including Gerwis, ride 40 becaks to the Governor's Office to petition for a marriage law securing women's legal position and for a freeze on the 1952 regulation giving pensions to second-to-fourth wives. A Gedung Rakj
Petition in Semarang
Java-Bode, 18 December 1953, p. 2: news column reporting that a hundred women from seven Semarang women's associations, led by Perwari and joined by Gerwis, presented a petition to Central Java governor Budiono supporting a Perwari central board motion. Other snippets (hospital openings, Davao vice-consulate) are unrel
Women held a demonstration
Indische Courant voor Nederland, 23 Dec 1953, p. 3: over 2,000 women led by Perwari march in Jakarta against the amendment of Government Regulation 19 on marriage conditions and demand a marriage law; in Semarang, seven women's groups including Gerwis petition the Central Java governor.
Mayor explains composition of regency election committees in Jakarta
De Nieuwsgier, 13 Feb 1954: Jakarta Mayor Sudiro explains the composition of the three regency election committees, giving one seat each to Masjumi, PNI, Gerwis, NU, PKI, PIR, Perwari and others. Gerwis's seat falls from two to one, with a Gerwis woman seated to represent 'socialism'; the Wanita Demokrat seat passes to
Dissolution of Jakarta city council requested by nine parties and ten organisations
Aneta item in De Vrije Pers (13 Feb 1954): nine parties and ten organisations, including PKI, PNI, NU, SOBSI, BTI, Wanita Demokrat, Perwari and Gerwis, met under PNI's R. Kartasasmita and urged the government to dissolve the Greater Jakarta municipal council and form a representative one.
Protest (women's organisations protest in Medan)
Java-Bode, 24 February 1954, p. 2: Medan women's organisations, including Perwari, PPNI, Wanita Rakjat, Ikatan Wanita Rakjat and Gerwis, protested to the resident that women have no seat on the North Sumatra election committee and demanded revision. The resident promised to forward it to the Minister of Justice.
Election committee (North Sumatra)
Indische Courant voor Nederland, 3 Mar 1954, p. 3: composition of the North Sumatra election committee announced; women's organisations in Medan including Perwari, Wanita Rakjat, Ikatan Wanita Rakjat and Gerwis protest to the resident that women are not represented and demand revision.
Marriage Stir in Indonesia (Sydney Morning Herald, 21 September 1954)
Sydney Morning Herald, 21 Sep 1954, p. 1 (AAP-Reuter): a deputation from 30 Indonesian women's organisations, headed by Mrs Katowijono of Perwani, protested to Sukarno over his marriage to a second wife, Mrs Suwondo, without the first wife's consent. Press debate; women leaders say it dealt the women's movement a bad b
Mass demonstration on Medan Merdeka for West Irian
De Nieuwsgier front-page report (6 Dec 1954) on a mass demonstration at Medan Merdeka, Jakarta, organised by the West Irian liberation committee with women's organisations, demanding incorporation of Irian and rupture with the Netherlands. Speakers included Mrs. Sudarman Hadikusumo, Mrs. Kartowijono (Perwari) and Mrs.
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
A home
Fragmentary Algemeen Indisch Dagblad item 'Een tehuis' (1955-06-02, p. 2): proposal for a children's home with expert carers for neglected children of working or ill parents. The plan arose at a meeting of main women's organisations, including Perwari, Budi Isteri and Gerwani, in Bandung; a founding committee formed on
First Lady
Short Algemeen Indisch Dagblad item 'First Lady' (1955-12-31, p. 1): Perwari chair Mrs. Kartowijono says any socially acceptable woman can be First Lady and urges a marriage law quickly. Muslimat (Masyumi) and Gerwani are still deliberating on the question and could not yet comment, in the context of the Sukarno marria
The committee
Short Algemeen Indisch Dagblad item (1956-08-06, p. 2): composition of the Bandung 17 August committee, chaired by the mayor, with vice-chairs from Masyumi, PNI, PKI and NU. Treasurers are Mrs. Kamarga (Perwari), Mrs. S. Sriwenda (Parkiwa) and one more Gerwani member still to be named. Also a basketball tournament anno
ACWF banquet for Mrs Abdulgani and the Indonesian women's delegation (Renmin Ribao, 30 September 1956)
Renmin Ribao, 30 Sep 1956, p. 2 (Xinhua): the All-China Democratic Women's Federation hosts a banquet for an Indonesian women's delegation led by Mrs Abdulgani, including Perwari chair Mrs Sudaman and wives of parliamentary leaders. Deng Yingchao stresses shared anti-colonial experience. Gerwani is not named.
ACWF banquet for Mrs Abdulgani and the Indonesian women's delegation (Renmin Ribao, 30 September 1956)
Renmin Ribao, 30 Sep 1956, p. 2 (Xinhua): the All-China Democratic Women's Federation hosts a banquet for an Indonesian women's delegation led by Mrs Abdulgani, including Perwari chair Mrs Sudaman and wives of parliamentary leaders. Deng Yingchao stresses shared anti-colonial experience. Gerwani is not named.
Djuanda vows to carry out programme; parties and groups back the new cabinet (Renmin Ribao, 13 April 1957)
Renmin Ribao, 13 Apr 1957, p. 6 (Xinhua, Jakarta): PM Djuanda's broadcast on the new extra-parliamentary cabinet and reactions of parties and organisations (PNI, NU, PKI/Aidit, Masjumi, PSII, Parkindo, Murba). Gerwani appears only in a list of mass organisations, with SOBSI, Perwari and others, that telegraphed support
Djuanda vows to carry out programme; parties and groups back the new cabinet (Renmin Ribao, 13 April 1957)
Renmin Ribao, 13 Apr 1957, p. 6 (Xinhua, Jakarta): PM Djuanda's broadcast on the new extra-parliamentary cabinet and reactions of parties and organisations (PNI, NU, PKI/Aidit, Masjumi, PSII, Parkindo, Murba). Gerwani appears only in a list of mass organisations, with SOBSI, Perwari and others, that telegraphed support
History of Jakarta City Government (Greater Jakarta Municipality, 1958)
Sedjarah Pemerintahan Kota Djakarta, an official history of Jakarta's city government from Dutch Batavia to the end of 1957, compiled by Drs. The Liang Gie and published by the Kotapradja Djakarta Raya in 1958. It has nothing on Gerwani as such. It notes that women could vote for the Batavia council only from 1941 and
Renmin Ribao, 17 Nov 1962: Indonesian organisations back Cuba's five demands (Gerwani among them)
Renmin Ribao page 4, 17 November 1962: report that Korean, Vietnamese and Indonesian political groups back Cuba's five demands during the missile crisis. The excerpt lists Indonesian parties and bodies, including a women's association and the Indonesian Women's Movement Association (Gerwani), alongside labour and youth