Maria Ulfah Santoso

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Maria Ulfah Santoso (1911–1988) was an Indonesian politician and a prominent advocate for women’s rights. She became the first Indonesian woman to earn a law degree and the first woman to serve in the Indonesian cabinet.

Early life and education
She was born in Serang, Dutch East Indies, into the influential Djajadiningrat family. From a young age she saw the injustices women faced, which inspired her to fight for women’s rights. She went to the Netherlands to study law and earned a Master of Laws from Leiden University in 1933, making her the first Indonesian woman with a law degree. While in the Netherlands, she joined the Indonesian nationalist movement.

Career before independence
Santoso returned to Batavia (Jakarta) and taught at a Muhammadiyah college. She helped start the Antara news agency and pushed for marriage reform, leading a congress in 1938 that resulted in reforms in 1941. She also worked to improve women’s literacy through sewing groups, turning sewing classes into lessons about reading and women’s rights.

Political career
After World War II and with Indonesia moving toward independence, she joined the preparations for independence. On March 12, 1946, she became the Minister of Social Affairs in the Second Sjahrir Cabinet, the first female Indonesian cabinet member. She helped manage the return of internees from Japanese camps and continued to work in government in later years. Her first husband, R. Santoso Wirodihardjo, was killed during the 1948 Dutch military offensive.

Later life and personal life
In the 1950s she led Kowani, the Indonesian Women’s Congress, and headed the national film censorship bureau. She later served in the State Secretariat and on the State Advisory Council. She married Soebadio Sastrosatomo in 1964, and the couple adopted a child. Santoso and her husband often lived apart due to political pressures and imprisonment.

Legacy and death
Santoso’s appointment as social minister showed that women could play an important role in national leadership. She paved the way for other women to hold government positions, including future female leaders in Indonesia. She received several national honors for her work. Maria Ulfah Santoso died on April 15, 1988, in Jakarta and was buried at Kalibata Heroes’ Cemetery.