[1] On 29 October 1898 the organization was founded[2] with the first chairman designated as Mariane van Hogendorp and was affiliated with the International Council of Women.
[3][4] The NVR membership was neither tied to political ideology or religious affiliation, which meant that debate on various points of view were welcomed, but also at times made members uncomfortable as their particular customs or practices had to be set aside for the advancement of the whole group.
[5][4] The council had a requirement that all affiliated associations, companies, or organizations have at least one woman who was a member of their governing board.
[6] Among the issues the Council focused upon initially were equal education for girls and boys, the inclusion of women in employment opportunities, health and sanitation legislation, illegitimacy, loss of women's autonomy upon marriage,[7] prostitution, alcoholism, and other social ills.
[2] The organization's archival materials are located at the Atria Institute on gender equality and women's history.