STATUS OF WOMEN/STRENGTH OF FAMILY UNIT/C HOCK ON IDENTIFCATION CARD

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00809A000500170259-4
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: December 7, 2000
• Sequence Number: 259
• Publication Date: September 5, 1953
• Content Type: REPORT

Approved For Release 2001/07/31 : CIA-RDP80-00809A000500170259-4
U. S. Officials Only
CONFIDE) TIAL
S EC017 I Ty IN. IMMA 1 I ON
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
COUNTRY Republic of Indonesia INFORMATION REPORT
SUBJECT Status of Women/Strength of Family Unit/t heck on
Identification Card
(BY SOURCE)
DATE ACQUIRED
(BY SOURCE)
The group to reckon with in Ird onesia is the women. Those who have high office in
government and in education are outstandingly more intelligent than the men', 'and have
a better grasp of the political and economic situation. Even the average Indeneoion
woman shows more interest in education than most, men, learns more rapidly,land in a
more industrious worker- T nm
n
n
me the schools, not alone because there are no feweohoole
but because the parents are interested in teaching their children everything they
know. The same holds true for medical care. There are not enough hospitals and
doctors, we know, but there is no resorting to quackery or witch doctoring., Each
mother is "doctors for her own family, but is aware of her lack of knowledge and
eager to learn more and better :methods of caring for her children. Everywhere I
went, I saw babies. It seemed as if every girl over 12 years of age was either
pregnant or was carrying a small child, yet I didn't have the feeling that they
would have had it otharwise, or that they bear children for religious reaoone, or
that they don't know any better. They love their children, - and it's a very , happy
atmosphere.
In this connection I a_m speaking of tt.oaa Lidonecians who are not 2bslems. .III this
latter group are the fanatics, those bound by innumerable religious laws and'',cuetome,.
Although they are a power and a terror, they are not the most important group in
Indonesia.
i I
6., .... ~..~. uo vV any '.a .. uoaeela
will over Decome a matriarchate but the day could conceivable come when theiwomsn
will be in control tLare. It inn It that th r are career-xi-Lad, or behinve +_.. air...
d'; nncem6nt of wca.en for its own sake. They are ambitious not for themselves', but-
for the sake of their children 'a future.
2. In Indonesia the family unit is extremely strop More children receive their
education in the ho tha
i
U.S. Officials Only
CONFIDENT=
SI:c ORI TY IIIFOPHAI I O.
J5rzr(.N zuuY-X , -XJ
L- L Approved For Release 2001/07/31 : CIA-RDP80-00809A000500170259-4
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Approved For Release 2001/07/31 : CIA-RDP80-00809A000500170259-4
CONFIDENTIAL/US OFFM IAIS OPTLY/SIIC a ITY INFORMATION
2- 1
CONFIDENTIP1IUS OFFICIAL OITLY/SELUftITY INFat? TION
1_ I Approved For Release 2001/07/31 : CIA-RDP80-00809A000500170259-4