Isaura Gomes

Isaura Gomes (born 1944) is a Cape Verdean politician and pharmacist.[1] She graduated as the best student of her class in secondary school, but did not get a scholarship to go to a university in Portugal, as the scholarship instead went to the son of a Portuguese citizen although the son had lower grades than she did.[2] However, the next year Cape Verde's only dentist helped her get a full scholarship to study pharmacy at the University of Coimbra, where she also received scholarships as the top-ranking student, as well as tutoring her classmates.[3] After graduating in 1967 she worked in Portugal briefly before returning to Cape Verde in 1970.[3][4] After returning to Cape Verde she led the secret activities of the African Party for the Independence of Cape Verde in São Vicente; Cape Verde became independent in 1975.[3] She was the first and only female deputy of the party from 1975 to 1981, and caused the advancement of women's rights within the party.[3] She also helped found the National Women's Organization of Cape Verde, and was instrumental in getting national laws legalizing abortion passed.[3] She left the party in 1981 because of lack of support for a multiparty system in Cape Verde that she wanted.[3] In the 1980s she was important in developing the medical system of Cape Verde, serving as its national director of pharmacies and training its laboratory and pharmacy technicians.[3] She also was important in the mid-1980s in helping secure international recognition for the Cape Verdean singer Cesária Évora, who was her friend.[5] She opened her own clinical laboratory and pharmacy in 1989.[3] From 1997 to 2003 she was the president of the Association of Women Entrepreneurs of Cape Verde, and in 2001 she was the president of the Cape Verde Federation of the Associations for the Promotion of Women.[6] In 2004 she became the mayor of São Vicente, making her Cape Verde's first female mayor; she had previously run for mayor of São Vicente and lost in 2000.[5][7] In 2005 she joined the Movement for Democracy, and in 2008 she was reelected as mayor.[7] In 2011 she resigned as mayor, stating that her resignation was for health reasons.[8]

References

  1. ↑ Professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr.; Professor Emmanuel Akyeampong; Mr. Steven J. Niven (2 February 2012). Dictionary of African Biography. OUP USA. pp. 484–. ISBN 978-0-19-538207-5.
  2. ↑ Professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr.; Professor Emmanuel Akyeampong; Mr. Steven J. Niven (2 February 2012). Dictionary of African Biography. OUP USA. pp. 484, 485–. ISBN 978-0-19-538207-5.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr.; Professor Emmanuel Akyeampong; Mr. Steven J. Niven (2 February 2012). Dictionary of African Biography. OUP USA. pp. 485–. ISBN 978-0-19-538207-5.
  4. ↑ Agência Lusa. "Cabo Verde/Autárquicas: Isaura Gomes, única presidente de Câmara, disputa Mindelo com ex-PM C/FOTO - Agência Lusa - SAPO Notícias". Noticias.sapo.pt. Retrieved 2016-06-02.
  5. 1 2 November 13, 2007 5:51 pm (2007-11-13). "Profile: Isaura Gomes, mayor of São Vicente". FT.com. Retrieved 2016-06-02.
  6. ↑ Professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr.; Professor Emmanuel Akyeampong; Mr. Steven J. Niven (2 February 2012). Dictionary of African Biography. OUP USA. pp. 485, 486–. ISBN 978-0-19-538207-5.
  7. 1 2 Professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr.; Professor Emmanuel Akyeampong; Mr. Steven J. Niven (2 February 2012). Dictionary of African Biography. OUP USA. pp. 486–. ISBN 978-0-19-538207-5.
  8. ↑ "Mayor of São Vicente resigns - Primeiro diário caboverdiano em linha". A Semana. 2011-05-24. Retrieved 2016-06-02.
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