Rusiah Sardjono (c. 22 June 1919 – 13 November 1988) was an Indonesian politician who served as minister of social affairs from 1962 to 1966. She was one of the country's first female government ministers.
Rusiah Sardjono | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Minister of Social Affairs | |
| In office March 6, 1962 – March 27, 1966 | |
| President | Sukarno |
| Preceded by | Muljadi Djojomartono |
| Succeeded by | Muljadi Djojomartono |
| Personal details | |
| Born | c. 22 June 1919 |
| Died | 13 November 1988 (aged 69) |
Biography
There are conflicting reports on Rusiah Sardjono's date of birth, with some sources indicating 1919 but others indicating 1921.[1][2]
During the Japanese occupation of the Dutch East Indies, she was employed by a Japanese company before moving to the Indonesian Department of Justice, where she would work on and off for 20 years.[2] She also worked for the High Court of Semarang during the height of the Indonesian National Revolution.[2]
In 1949, she became the first woman to graduate in law from what would become Gadjah Mada University.[2]
Sardjono was appointed minister of social affairs in 1962, in the later years of Sukarno's time in office as Indonesia's first president.[1][2][3][4] While she was in office, Indonesian media commented on her then-unusual position as both a mother and a high-level politician.[2] However, eventually several other women would later take on the social affairs ministry leadership post.[4][5] Sardjono served as minister until 1966.[4][6][7]
She later became a member of the Supreme Advisory Council, one of only two women on the 79-member council as of 1983.[1][8] She also worked as a professor at the University of Indonesia's Faculty of Law until her death in 1988.[1]