The First Indonesian Women's Congress of 1928 (Monash Papers on Southeast Asia)

Every year on December 22, Indonesia celebrates Women's Day. This date marks the recognized beginning of the organized women's movement by commemorating the start of the first Indonesian women's congress in 1928, leading to the first federation of women's organizations. Although this fact is quite well-known in Indonesia, the details of what happened at the congress are not. This book restores to light the contemporary account of the congress as reported in the women's federation publication of 1929. The first half of the book contains an English translation of the congress speeches, which is then followed by the original version of the proceedings, written in Indonesian text. These speeches give lively insights into the minds of young women at the start of this women's movement and highlight the concerns that have continued to motivate women's organizations in Indonesia. The book is prefaced with an introduction that provides background to the congress and analyzes its proceedings.