Happy Mother’s Day to all Indonesian moms! 

December 22 marks Mother’s Day in Indonesia, a special day dedicated to motherhood, womanhood, maternal bonds, and the influence of mothers in society.

However, as you may have noticed, Mother’s Day in Indonesia does not share the same date as its international counterpart, which fell on May 8, earlier this year. In fact, Mother’s Day in Indonesia has a special significance as it is closely tied to the women’s rights movements in the country.

The history of Mother's Day in Indonesia began when the first Indonesian Women's Congress was held on December 22-25, 1928, with the aim of uniting Indonesian women's associations in one Indonesian Women's Association, namely the PPI.

The history of Mother's Day in Indonesia is closely tied to the revival of the Indonesian women's struggle that had begun before Indonesia's independence.

This is marked by the struggles of women in various regions who are now considered national heroes, such as Tjuk Njak Dien in Aceh, Nyi Ageng Serang in West Java, R.A Kartini in Central Java, and many more.

Many women's associations were also being formed at the time in various regions, such as Aisiyah, Catholic Women, and Putri Merdeka.

The First Indonesian Youth Congress on April 30 - May 2, 1928, positioned women as one of the central points of discussion regarding the position of women in Indonesian society.

Then, on December 22-25, the Indonesian Women's Congress was held for the first time in Yogyakarta.

The results of the III Congress gave birth to a decision stipulating that December 22 was the commemoration of Mother's Day.

The commemoration of Mother's Day on December 22 has been confirmed by the government through Presidential Decree Number 316 of 1959 concerning National Days that are not holidays.

Mother's Day itself, which falls on December 22, is made a national day that is celebrated every year in a meaningful way.