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
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.
Soviet Woman, Feb 1954: Rantijem, 'Our Unity Is Growing Stronger'
Soviet Woman, 28 Feb 1954, p. 30: article by Rantijem (SOBSI National Council member), written after her Nov 1953 USSR tour with a trade union delegation, on Indonesian women's conditions. Describes legal bars to women's state and foreign-firm work, unequal pay (4.30 rupees/day vs 155.49 subsistence minimum), no matern
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.
Women celebrate 8 March in Jakarta, 1954
De Nieuwsgier, 9 Mar 1954: International Women's Day is commemorated in Jakarta's Gedung Pertemuan with Mrs Rasuna Said, Dr Thung Sin Nio and members of Gerwis's central board present. Chair Mrs Effendie says women worldwide mark the day of sisterhood for equal rights and peace regardless of conviction.
International Women's Day
Java-Bode, 9 March 1954, p. 2: report on the International Women's Day commemoration in Jakarta attended by Rasuna Said, Dr Thung Sun Nio and Gerwis central board members. Chair Mrs Effendie listed Indonesian women's grievances: price rises, no democratic marriage law or labour law for women, maternal and infant mortal
International Women's Day in Salatiga, 1954
De Locomotief, 11 Mar 1954: Salatiga's federation of women's associations marks International Women's Day on 8 March; a Gerwis representative explains the day's origin, followed by a talk on baby care, a health-service film and children's dances. Shows Gerwis giving the political history of the day within a mixed local
International Women's Day (1954)
Indische Courant voor Nederland, 17 Mar 1954, p. 2: International Women's Day meeting in Jakarta attended by MP Rasuna Said, Dr Thung Sin Nio and Gerwis central board members. Chair Mrs Effendie lists price rises, no democratic marriage law, no women's labour law, divorce, polygamy and maternal deaths; Rasuna Said pled
Introduction to a story on the struggle against polygamy in West Java
De Waarheid, 24 Mar 1954, p. 5: editorial caption introducing a published story about a local victory against polygamy in West Java a few months earlier through united action. It says the issue is also on the agenda at the Gerwis congress that has just begun, attended by Rie Lips-Odinot. The story itself is not part of
Public Masyumi meeting: 'Quran doctrines must be basis of our state'
Algemeen Indisch Dagblad (1954-03-29, p. 2): report of a public Masyumi meeting in Bandung. Mrs. Ijom Suleiman argues Islam gives women equal rights and duties; Masyumi West Java secretary Rusjad Nurdin rejects PKI claims that Masyumi are American compradors and urges Muslims never to join the PKI or organisations it i
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
Indonesian women fought ten years for their rights
Libération, Paris (21 Sep 1954, p.6), badly garbled page with a column '...et les femmes!': after Sukarno's second marriage to a divorcee, a feminist organisation says his private life cannot be separated from the presidency, and that Indonesian women fought ten years for their rights so the marriage is a heavy blow. N
Indonesian women and Sukarno's second marriage
Libération, Paris (21 Sep 1954, p.6), snippet extract: four representatives of Indonesia's women's leagues were received by Sukarno to ask why he took a second wife; 'Indonesian women have fought for ten years for their rights, and the President's second marriage has been a heavy blow for us.'
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
Indonesian goodwill delegation and women's delegation arrive in Beijing (Renmin Ribao, 28 September 1954)
Xinhua item in Renmin Ribao, 28 Sept 1954 (p. 4): an Indonesian goodwill delegation (Sumanang, Djawoto, Prijono and others) and a seven-member Indonesian women's delegation, invited by the All-China Democratic Women's Federation, arrive in Beijing on 24 and 26 Sept; Ambassador Mononutu welcomes them. The women are name
Indonesian goodwill delegation and women's delegation arrive in Beijing (Renmin Ribao, 28 September 1954)
Xinhua item in Renmin Ribao, 28 Sept 1954 (p. 4): an Indonesian goodwill delegation (Sumanang, Djawoto, Prijono and others) and a seven-member Indonesian women's delegation, invited by the All-China Democratic Women's Federation, arrive in Beijing on 24 and 26 Sept; Ambassador Mononutu welcomes them. The women are name
Indonesian delegation in China (women's delegation to Beijing, 1954)
Het Nieuwsblad voor Sumatra (1 Oct 1954, p.1): Aneta reports that an Indonesian delegation (led by Mr Sumanang) and a separate Indonesian women's delegation arrived in Beijing on 24 and 26 September, hosted by the Chinese People's Institute of Foreign Affairs and the Women's Federation of China. Mrs S. Pudjobuntoro spe
Parliament on Sukarno's second marriage
Het Parool report (6 Oct 1954, p.108): parliament asks the government to clarify its stand on President Sukarno's second marriage, as the controversy causes the first rift in the year-old PNI-PKI coalition. A woman MP of the socialist fraction submitted the request, and parliament received a petition from women's movem
Sukarno's marriage
Tubantia/Twentsch Dagblad brief (7 Oct 1954): the Indonesian parliament asks the government's view on Sukarno's second marriage and, with communists voting against, agrees to consider a women's movement petition to deprive Muslim men of the right to marry more than one wife. Relevant to the polygamy campaign Gerwani an
Sukarno, polygamy and Indonesian women
Point de vue (14 Oct 1954, p.9), '7 jours du monde' column: a three-sentence note that Sukarno has two wives and many troubles after marrying Mrs Suwondo (Hartini), whose husband divorced over her relations with the president; Indonesian women disapprove and launched a violent press campaign. Gerwani not named. Other c
Sukarno, polygamy and Indonesian women (extract)
Point de vue (14 Oct 1954, p.9), snippet extract: Sukarno, president of the young Indonesian Republic, has two wives and many troubles; the Koran allows polygamy but Indonesian women view it with disfavour; he is the only polygamous Indonesian leader.
The situation in Aceh; Gerwani Lampung anti-pornography resolution
De Nieuwsgier news roundup (15 Nov 1954, p. 2) mostly on Aceh security incidents. One item reports that Gerwani of Lampung, at its first congress in Tanjung Karang, resolved to ask the government to ban pornographic reading matter, indecent advertisements and films, and urged other women's and democratic organisations
In brief: Gerwani Bandung congress sends sympathy to Maisuri
Column of short news items in De Vrije Pers (30 Nov 1954). Relevant item: a two-day Gerwani congress of the Bandung branch decided to send a message of sympathy to Maisuri, a young woman in South Sumatra who suffered a "forced marriage". Other items are unrelated world news.
Indonesian Mother's Day: reader's contribution on the 1928 women's congress
Reader's contribution in the Surinamese De Surinamer (22 Dec 1954) on Indonesian Mother's Day, commemorating the 1928 women's congress, Kartini, and women ministers Maria Ulfa Santoso and S.K. Trimurti; contrasts past seclusion with present rights and compares Indonesian women's social work with Paramaribo. Gerwani is