Teodora Inácia Gomes

Teodora Inácia Gomes (born 13 September 1944) is a politician, feminist and women's rights activist, who is a former fighter in the struggle for independence of Guinea-Bissau from Portuguese rule, and is Deputy Leader of African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde (PAIGC).

Early life Teodora Inácia Gomes, nicknamed "Obono" by her family, was born in Empada, in the Quínara Region of southern Guinea-Bissau on 13 September 1944. Her family were Christian and she attended a Catholic school. When her father was young he emigrated to Porto, Portugal and was one of a small number of Guineans who studied outside the Portuguese colony. She also worked as a medic and as a politics teacher. She also had military training and commanded a unit of 95 women.

As a politician she has defended women's rights throughout her career and was instrumental in making female genital mutilation illegal in Guinea Bissau. She has also proposed other laws, protecting the rights of former freedom fighters, laws of reproductive health, laws against trafficking minors, laws on family planning and laws prohibiting violence against women. Gomes also works with a non-governmental organisation, which aims to raise political awareness and to increase the number of women in the various government bodies. In 2019 the organisation was particularly active, hoping for a record number of women to be selected to represent their political parties after the election; ultimately 14 women were given seats, out of 102, the same number as in the 2014 election.