ABSTRACT
By 1950 Indonesians had won their fight for independence, gaining international recognition of statehood. A new era of women’s mobilization began as the movement responded to the opportunities, structures and political changes brought by independence and democratization. This chapter examines how Indonesian women organized in an independent nation-state, introducing key features of the 1950s women’s movement and the implications of new statehood. The nature, agenda and complexities of women’s mobilization during this period will be discussed to give an organizational context for the issue-based analysis of the following chapters.
