Chinese delegation returns from World Congress of Women; foreign guests arrive, incl. Kartina of Gerwis West Java
Xinhua report in Renmin Ribao, 5 July 1953 (p. 1): part of the Chinese delegation to the World Congress of Women (Copenhagen) returns to Beijing, with the first foreign women delegates invited to tour China. The Indonesian guest is Kartina (rendered Katina), member of the West Java branch of Gerwis, arriving with Burme
Chinese delegation returns from World Congress of Women; foreign guests arrive, incl. Kartina of Gerwis West Java
Xinhua report in Renmin Ribao, 5 July 1953 (p. 1): part of the Chinese delegation to the World Congress of Women (Copenhagen) returns to Beijing, with the first foreign women delegates invited to tour China. The Indonesian guest is Kartina (rendered Katina), member of the West Java branch of Gerwis, arriving with Burme
Surakarta: Gerwis meets (Central Java working conference)
De Locomotief, 11 July 1953: one-line notice from Surakarta that the Central Java Commissariat of Gerwis will hold a working conference from 27 July (end date garbled in source), with delegates from all of Central Java.
Committee formed to help victims of terror: Gerwis initiative
De Waarheid, 31 Jul 1953, p. 5: short Jakarta dispatch (20 July) that on Gerwis's initiative a committee was formed to assist victims of terrorist bands such as Darul Islam, joined by SOBSI, the veterans' league Perbepsi, student organisation IPPI and the peasants' union RTI. Shows Gerwis leading a relief and anti-Daru
Dear sisters: Dutch Women's Movement greeting to Indonesian women
De Waarheid, 14 Aug 1953, p. 3: open letter from the NVB chair G. Blokker-de Groot congratulating 'dear Indonesian sisters' on the eighth anniversary of the Republic, praising Gerwis as a sister organisation of great significance in women's struggle for equality. Recalls the Dutch and Indonesian women's meeting at the
Indonesian women back from Copenhagen
Java-Bode, 24 August 1953, p. 2: badly garbled report on a welcome-back gathering in Jakarta for the eight-member Indonesian delegation to the Copenhagen world women's congress (June 1953). Named delegates include Setiati Surasto (chair) and Asijah, with Gerwis affiliation; the congress appealed to women worldwide for
The destruction of 'De Vrije Pers'
Arnhemsche Courant, 26 Aug 1953: a small item says thousands of students and pupils, backed by the left-wing union SOBSI and Gerwis, demonstrated in Surabaya during the trial of 42 students over the wrecking of the Dutch-language daily De Vrije Pers, demanding dismissal of the case and curbs on the Dutch press. Rest of
Manifesto on Tunisia: committee backs Tunisian independence struggle
De Nieuwsgier, 17 Sept 1953: the Committee to Support Tunisia issues a manifesto backing Tunisia's freedom struggle against French policy, signed by many party leaders and organisations. S.K. Trimurti signs on behalf of Gerwis, with Maria Ulfah Santoso for Kowani and others for PNI, Masjumi, PSI, Parkindo. Shows Gerwis
Against forced marriage (Gerwis conference, October 1953)
Het Nieuwsblad voor Sumatra (28 Oct 1953, p.2): at its 25 October conference the Jakarta women's organisation Gerwis resolved on 'Menteng 31' (supporting its return to youth but asking the government to rehouse the girls living there) and on a forced marriage of a 60-year-old man to a 14-year-old schoolgirl, expressing
CIA information report, 6 November 1953: Financial problems of communist front organizations
CIA information report, 6 Nov 1953: 'Financial Problems of Communist Front Organizations' (Indonesia). Reports that the World Peace Committee sought Rp 50,000 from a Chinese organisation and that GERWIS has not paid its monthly Rp 2,500 to SOBSI since January 1953 and has also asked for aid. One page; a single paragrap
Gerwis conference in Bandung: new marriage law necessary
De Waarheid, 18 Nov 1953, p. 5: short report that the West Java branches of Gerwis ended a two-day conference in Bandung, adopting a resolution demanding that the government draft a new marriage law quickly and set minimum labour conditions for women workers. Same item notes a SARBUPRI strike of about 200 workers at th
Growing activity of the Indonesian women's movement: Malang conference figures
De Waarheid, 9 Dec 1953, p. 5: Malang dispatch on a Gerwis conference reviewing East Java work. In six months membership rose from 12,000 to 16,420 and branches from 37 to 49; literacy courses ran in 120 villages with 1,349 participants; 15 kindergartens (kleuterbewaarplaatsen) opened, holding almost 600 children daily
Commemorative Volume of the Second Gerwis Congress, 25-31 March 1954
Commemorative volume of the second Gerwis congress (Jakarta, 25–31 March 1954): greetings, foreign women's federations' telegrams, general report, resolutions, and the unanimous 30 March 1954 decision to rename Gerwis as Gerwani. Includes new statutes and a WIDF memorandum to the UN.
CIA report, 6 May 1954: Financial preparations for the Gerwis congress, March 1954
CIA report, 6 May 1954: Trimurti and Dr Thung Sin Nio collecting funds to finance the Gerwis (now Gerwani) congress in Jakarta, 25-31 March 1954, including from Chinese-Indonesian donors. Evidence on congress financing and cross-community support.
Women Write to Us From Everywhere: Indonesia (Darmini, 1954)
Short 1954 item in WIDF's 'Women Write to Us From Everywhere' by Darmini, Assistant General Secretary of Gerwani. She reports the Gerwani congress as a success, with WIDF representative Monica Felton present and foreign delegates (Dutch, Australian, Soviet) touring the country, a first in Indonesian women's movement hi
Dawn Over the Equator: Monica Felton on the Second Gerwani Congress, 1954
Monica Felton (WIDF Vice-President) writes in 1954 on the Second Congress of Gerwani, which she attended: 349 delegates, 80,000 members, a meeting with President Sukarno, resolutions on West Irian, the 1955 elections, a nationwide marriage law, democratic rights and support for the government against armed gangs. She s
Indonesia: Miss Darmini of Gerwis (WIDF, 1954)
WIDF 1954 profile of Miss Darmini of GERWIS, reporting to a WIDF meeting. Membership rose from 6,000 at the 1951 first congress to 37,000 by 1953 and about 600,000 prior to the March 1954 second congress (as printed); the Union of Railway Workers' Wives affiliated. She describes campaigns on women's rights, maternity l
Round the clock in Malang: Gerwis branch boards elected
De Vrije Pers local-news column (16 Jan 1954, Malang). Relevant item: Gerwis Malang town and regency branches elected new boards, with Mrs. Sudiro as town chairwoman and Mrs. Ismail as regency chairwoman, listing officers for organisation, labour and agriculture, social affairs, and information and education, and their
With the Gerwis congress in sight: Jakarta feature on preparations
De Waarheid, 27 Jan 1954, p. 5: correspondent's Jakarta feature ahead of Gerwis's second congress (opening 26 March 1954), describing its literacy courses, hygiene campaigns, defence of women under customary law, wage struggles (Sampurna cigarette factory Surabaya, Kaliklatak coffee estate) with SARBUPRI, and the mass
Solidarity with women in the Netherlands: Umi Sardjono on NVB invitation
De Waarheid, 10 Mar 1954, p. 5: excerpt from Umi (Sardjono) describing how the NVB received Gerwis's invitation to its congress with joy, sending a delegation and running a friendship campaign and a soap-selling drive (soap printed with Dutch and Indonesian hands) to strengthen solidarity and support Indonesia's demand
Women of Indonesia prepare their congress: Umi Sardjono excerpts from Harian Rakjat
De Waarheid, 10 Mar 1954, p. 5: excerpts from an article by Umi (Sardjono), Gerwis board member, in Harian Rakjat preparing Gerwis's second congress. She lists invitations to women's groups in the USSR, China, Netherlands, India and WIDF, and stresses plantation and factory women, mass dismissals driving women into pro
FBIS, 11 March 1954: Soviets to attend 'Gerwis' congress
FBIS-monitored Jakarta radio item (11 Mar 1954): two delegates of the Soviet Anti-Fascist Women's Committee will attend the Second Gerwis Congress in Jakarta, 24-31 March, at the invitation of the Gerwis central committee; delegates from other Eastern-bloc countries will also attend. Evidence of Gerwis's socialist-bloc
FBIS, 12 March 1954: Women's congress (Gerwis invitations)
FBIS item (12 Mar 1954): the Gerwis congress committee invited women's organisations in Britain, the Netherlands, the USSR, India, China and Australia to the congress due 24-31 March; the People's Republic of China reportedly said it could not send a delegation.
Soviet delegation to Indonesian women's congress
De Waarheid, 19 Mar 1954, p. 3: Jakarta dispatch that the Soviet Anti-Fascist Women's Committee will send two delegates, Alexandra Cholopowa (Kholopova) and Katherina Ljowa, with an interpreter, to the Gerwis congress. Also notes Harian Rakjat printing a photo of the NVB's fundraising soap, showing Indonesian sympathy
Mrs Rie Lips: understanding for Indonesia's wishes
Algemeen Indisch Dagblad (1954-03-27, p. 2): Dutch MP Rie Lips-Odinot, chair of the Dutch Women's Movement, arrives in Jakarta for the second congress of Gerwis. She says Indonesians have the full right to decide their relations with the Netherlands, that many Dutch understand Indonesia's wishes, and that the Union tre
Muntilan: committee to receive foreign women's delegations
De Locomotief, 30 Mar 1954: Muntilan sets up a committee led by the local Gerwis branch to receive a forthcoming visit (April) of representatives of the WIDF and Chinese, Indian, Australian and Dutch women's organisations, to be welcomed at Borobudur. Evidence of Gerwis's WIDF-linked international hospitality.
Results of the Gerwis congress: name changed to Gerwani
De Vrije Pers report (3 Apr 1954) on the press conference after the second Gerwis congress (Jakarta, 25-31 March 1954). Gerwis changed its name to Gerwani, dropping "Sedar" after criticism; it opposed the demonstration ban and arrests of labour organisers, urged a marriage law against forced marriage, would field no ow
Results of the Gerwis congress: name changed to Gerwani (page version)
De Vrije Pers report (3 Apr 1954) on the press conference after the second Gerwis congress (Jakarta, 25-31 March 1954). Gerwis changed its name to Gerwani, dropping "Sedar" after criticism; it opposed the demonstration ban and arrests of labour organisers, urged a marriage law against forced marriage, would field no ow
FBIS, 4 April 1954: 'Gerwani' representatives visit Sukarno
FBIS-monitored Jakarta radio (4 Apr 1954): President and Madame Sukarno received Gerwani members after their Second Congress; Sukarno said equal rights are not women's final mission, which needs a just, prosperous country. A Dutch women's movement member spoke for peace; Sukarno tied Indonesian-Dutch understanding to W
FBIS, 4 April 1954: Indonesian women support Geneva talks
FBIS-monitored Xinhua item (4 Apr 1954): at its congress (25 Mar-1 Apr, Jakarta) the Indonesian women's movement, Gerwani, pledged support for the Geneva Conference and demanded prohibition of weapons of mass destruction. Says Gerwani is the new name of the women's democratic federation (Gerwis), a permanent WIDF membe