The first Indonesian Women’s Congress, linked to Hari Ibu, was held in Yogyakarta.
The congress began on December 22, 1928, in Yogyakarta, during a period when Indonesian nationalist organizations were seeking greater unity under Dutch colonial rule. Women’s groups from across the Dutch East Indies participated, making the gathering an important milestone in the organized Indonesian women’s movement.
The meeting took place at Dalem Jayadipuran, a building associated today with the preservation of Indonesian history and traditional values. About 600 delegates attended, primarily from Aisjijah, while numerous other organizations—including Wanita Katolik, Poetri Mardika, and Wanita Taman Siswa—sent representatives or support.
The congress addressed practical and social questions, including marriage, women’s education, hygiene instruction, child marriage, and the creation of a girls’ education fund. It also formed a federation to unite independent women’s organizations. December 22 later became Indonesia’s Mother’s Day because it marks the congress’s opening day, not because the event took place in Jakarta, Bandung, or Surabaya.