Maria Ulfah Santoso

Mr. Hajjah Maria Ulfah Santoso
Santoso in 1947
3rd Minister of Social Affairs
In office 12 March 1946 – 26 June 1947
Prime Minister	Sutan Sjahrir
Preceded by	A.D. Tjokronegoro
Succeeded by	Soeparjo
Personal details
Born	(1911-08-18)18 August 1911 Serang, Dutch East Indies
Died	15 April 1988(1988-04-15) (aged 76) Jakarta, Indonesia
Spouses	R. Santoso Wirodihardjo ​ ​ (m. 1938⁠–⁠1946)​ Soebadio Sastrosatomo ​ ​ (m. 1964⁠–⁠1988)​
Children	1 (adopted)
Alma mater	Leiden University (Mr.)
Occupation	Politician activist

Maria Ulfah Soebadio Sastrosatomo (18 August 1911 – 15 April 1988), better known by her first married name Maria Ulfah Santoso, was an Indonesian politician and women's rights activist who served as Minister of Social Affairs under Prime Minister Sutan Sjahrir. She was the first Indonesian woman to receive a degree in law as well as the first female Indonesian cabinet member. Santoso, the daughter of a politician, became interested in women's rights after seeing numerous injustices in her youth. Despite pressure to become a doctor, she graduated with a degree in law from Leiden University in 1933; while in the Netherlands she also became involved in the Indonesian nationalist movement.

Upon returning to the Dutch East Indies, Santoso began teaching and working towards marriage reform. She was a member of the Committee for Preparatory Work for Indonesian Independence, and later became the social minister from March 1946 to June 1947. After her term, she continued to work with the government in various capacities. Chosen for the cabinet post in part for her emancipatory activities, Santoso paved the way for other female cabinet members, including S. K. Trimurti in 1947. She received several awards from the Indonesian government for her activities.