Peran dan Pergerakan Wanita Masa Penjajahan Belanda dan Jepang (1928 – 1945)

Abstract

This study examines the roles and movements of Indonesian women during the Dutch colonial period and Japanese occupation from 1928 to 1945. The study employs the historical research method, consisting of four stages: heuristics, source criticism, interpretation, and historiography. During the Dutch colonial period, Indonesian women experienced various forms of social and educational inequality, including limited access to formal education, seclusion, early marriage, and restrictions based on traditional customs. These conditions encouraged educated women to establish schools and organizations aimed at improving women’s status and expanding their educational opportunities. The women’s movement developed further after the First Indonesian Women’s Congress in 1928, leading to greater cooperation among women’s organizations and the emergence of demands concerning education, marriage, political representation, voting rights, and Indonesian independence. During the Japanese occupation, however, women’s organizations were restricted and reorganized to support Japanese wartime interests. Women were mobilized for social, economic, and military-related activities, while some experienced severe exploitation through the forced system of Jugun Ianfu. Therefore, the period demonstrates both the development of women’s political consciousness and the severe restrictions imposed upon them under Japanese rule. Despite these challenges, women remained important participants in Indonesia’s national movement.