Isabel da Costa Ferreira

Isabel da Costa Ferreira (15 April 1974 – 18 June 2023), also Isabel Ruak Ferreira, was an East Timorese jurist, human rights activist, politician, and wife of East Timor's former president and former prime minister, Taur Matan Ruak. She was the First Lady of East Timor from 2012 to 2017. Along with her husband, she was a member of Partidu Libertasaun Popular (PLP).

Life

Isabel da Costa Ferreira, daughter of Mateus Ferreira and Ana Flora de Jesus Ferreira, was born in Same, Manufahi district. The second-youngest of thirteen siblings, she started primary school in 1980 and completed secondary schooling (SMA I) in 1993. In 1998, she completed her degree in law from the National University of Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia.

Isabel da Costa Ferreira started her professional career always linked to issues of human rights, and actively denounced violations committed during the period of Indonesian military occupation. For this reason, in 1998 and 1999, she worked as the General Coordinator of the NGO "Kontras Timor-Timur" and Director of the Commission of Human Rights Timor-Loro Sa'e (CDHTL) in 1999-2001.

After the completion of the works of CTF, Ferreira was responsible for several areas within the State apparatus, particularly: President of Secretariat of Support to the Promotion Commission of the National Police of East Timor PNTL, from 2009 to 2010; Chairperson of the Commission for the Monitoring Process of Promotions in the PNTL, from 2010 to 2012; Commissioner of the Public Service Commission, from 2011 until 2014; and Legal Adviser to the Secretary of State for Security, from 2009 to 2015; First Lady of Timor-Leste, between 20 May 2012 and 20 May 2017; Legal Adviser to the Minister of Interior, from February 2015 to June 2015; and Children Advocate and Advisor to the Minister of Education & Children Advocate, from September 2015 till 2018.