Biography

She has a PhD in Sociology from the University of Coimbra in post-colonialisms and global citizenship with a thesis entitled 'Beyond an Indian Ocean of revolts. A feminist and post-colonial analysis of the authority and power strategies of women in Mozambique and Timor-Lester'. She carried out post-doctoral research on Feminist Economies in Mozambique, South Africa and Brazil (2011 to 2018). She has been a lecturer since 1980 and associated-professor at the College of Education of the Polytechnic Institute of Coimbra since 2020 Her research and training interests are feminisms and post-colonialisms; other economies and feminist women's economies; post-war transition, peace and memories; women's human rights. She has published several books and scientific articles in different countries and languages. The following books stand out: Economic Diversity in Contemporary East Timor; Women; Territories and Identities vol 1, 2 and 3; Women InPower Women. Other Economies Created and Led by Women in the Non-Imperial South; Never Trust Sindarela. Feminisms, Postcolonialisms, Mozambique and Timor-Leste; Essays for Democracy. Justice, dignity and well-being; They in the South and the North; Voices of the Women of Timor; East Timor: Chronicle of the Observation of Courage; Feto Timor Nain Hitu - Seven Women of Timor"; Walking Other Ways and Roots of Participation. She has been a trainer for the Council of Europe since 1993 in the areas of human rights, non-formal education, youth and gender. Throughout her life she has carried out many feminist and post-colonial non-formal education projects, particularly in Mozambique, Colombia, Brazil, Spain and East Timor. She is onde of the founders of the international collective 'Economias Feministas Camponesas', which brings together activists and academics from Spain, Portugal, Colombia, Brazil and Mozambique. Since 2019, as part of the work of this collective, she has co-coordinated several advanced schools and decolonial feminist projects in Coimbra, Bogotá, Medellín and Maputo. She was president of the international NGO Youth Action for Peace for seven years (1990 to 1997) and a feminist activist in various national and international organisations such as the World March of Women. In 2017, she was honoured with the Order of East Timor by the President of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste for her contributions to the country's peace and independence.