Women and Politics: Women’s Participation in The Indonesian National Political Movement, 1923-1942

Abstract

This study aims to analyze women’s political participation during the national movement. The movement period began the women’s movement to voice their political ideas towards independence. The women’s political movement has long existed. Women have struggled to establish their existence since colonial times. Analysis of women’s participation efforts in the political field is described in three organizations from three cities, namely Batavia (Jakarta), Jogjakarta, and Medan, each through Perhimpoenan Kaoem Betawi representing regional organizations, Aisyiyah representing socio-religious organizations and Keoetamaan Isteri representing socio-political organizations. This research uses historical heuristics, criticism, interpretation, and historiography methods. The heuristic stage is carried out by searching for library sources, documents, and archives, and it is selected based on the source criticism carried out. The results show that the wishes and demands for women’s political participation have not been realized. The limited opportunities for women to sit in the Volksraad and direct competition with men were factors that did not directly result in women being involved in politics.