speaking in
Kongres Wanita Indonesia, 1950 , queen of
Majapahit, portrayed as
Parvati. In Indonesian society, women performed vital roles both within and outside the family. In rural
native society, certain positions, such as
dukun beranak (traditional
midwife),
traditional healer, ritualist, and
shaman, are often held by women. Despite their roles seeming to being reduced, if not rather confined, after the adoption of somewhat
patriarchal cultures of
Hinduism,
Buddhism,
Islam, and
Christianity, women still hold important positions, especially within families. In
Balinese society, women traditionally play important roles, especially concerning family and economic life. Despite traditional values that hold Balinese women responsible for fostering balance and harmony within families and producing high-quality offspring, in a fast changing society, their economic role has grown. Its culture also recognises a prominent historic female figure,
Bundo Kanduang, the matriarch of Minangkabau society. Today, Bundo Kanduang refers to the traditional institution consisting of female elders revered in the
adat (tradition) of Minangkabau society. In
Indonesian history, there are records of some prominent women that held and exercised considerable power and influence within their society, although usually reserved exclusively for an elite ruling class. They include
Queen Shima of
Kalingga Kingdom (c. 7th century),
Pramodhawardhani of
Mataram kingdom (c. 9th century),
Isyana Tunggawijaya of Mataram
Isyana dynasty (c. 10th century),
Mahendradatta of
Bali (c. 10th century),
Ken Dedes of
Singhasari (c. 13th century), also queens of
Majapahit (c. 13th-15th century);
Gayatri Rajapatni,
Tribhuwana Wijayatunggadewi and
Suhita. Following the arrival of Islam in Java,
Ratu Kalinyamat of Jepara was also a notable female leader.
Sultanate of Aceh also recorded several
sultanas that ruled the region. Indonesia has recognised several historic
national heroines that fought against Dutch colonialism; among others are
Nyi Ageng Serang,
Martha Christina Tiahahu,
Cut Nyak Dhien and
Cut Nyak Meutia. The
women's emancipation movement was started in late 19th century colonial
Dutch East Indies, when a handful of upperclass native women advocated for women's rights and education for women and opposition to Muslim sex segregation. These women's right pioneers are
Kartini of Jepara and
Dewi Sartika of Bandung, who both established a school for girls. In the early 20th century, indigenous women started to become active within the independence movement and organize women's groups associated with it, such as
Putri Mardika (1912), associated with
Budi Utomo, and
Aisyiyah (1920), associated with
Muhammadiyah. It was in connection to this that the indigenous women's movement formed organizations in Indonesia. It was mainly formed by middle class women educated in Dutch schools, and was split in many small groups. The indigenous Indonesia women's movement were finnally unified during the first Women's Congress in Yogjakarta on 22-25 December 1928, were thirty women's groups onrgaized under the umbrella organization
Perikatan Perempuan Indonesia (PPI, Indonesian Women Association). During the Second World War, all women's organizations were dissolved by the Japanese. After the war, the women's movement organized in the umbrella organization
KOWANI (1946).
Women's suffrage was never an issue in Indonesia. Women participated in the independence movement alongside men, and were granted suffrage after independence was achieved. Since
its first election in 1955, women have held equal legal rights with men in politics, although politics is still a male-dominated field in practice. In 2001,
Megawati Sukarnoputri—then serving as Vice President—became the first female president of Indonesia after the removal of President
Abdurrahman Wahid. The title Mangkubumi was formerly reserved for senior male princes groomed for the throne, including the reigning Sultan. The decree thus admits female royals into the line of succession for the first time since the inception of the Sultanate. According to the current Sultan, this was in line with his prerogatives; his action was nonetheless criticized by more conservative male family members such as his siblings, who were thus displaced in the line of succession. ==Women's rights==