In its bid to strengthen its leadership capacity, the Young African Women Congress (YAWC) Network has appointed renowned international communications expert, Rosaline Obah, as its Director for Policy and Advocacy.

Her appointment comes as part of the appointment of several other distinguished individuals from across several professional fields into various leadership roles of the Network following the expiration of the tenure of the previous administration.

Madam Obah’s appointment, together with the others, is for a period of two years, renewable upon completion of a tenure.

The Young African Women Congress (YAWC) Network is a confederation of young women of African descent in Africa and in the diaspora, who seek to be empowered and be themselves, change-makers for leadership and development on the continent.

At the heart of its mandate is the mobilisation of women from the grassroots level for leadership and development through advocacy, training and projects.

In a letter addressed to her, Founder and Executive Chairperson of the YAWC Network, Mr. Daniel Osei Tuffuor, congratulated the UK-based communications guru on her appointment and wished her Godspeed in her new role, saying: “I trust in your leadership capabilities to help project the YAWC Network to new heights.”

Responsibilities

In her role as the Director for Policy and Advocacy for the Network, MadaM Obah is expected to lead and oversee the organization's policy and advocacy strategies, driving efforts to influence public policy, legislation, and regulatory processes at the national,

continental and global levels.

She will work closely with senior leadership, external stakeholders, lawmakers, and other advocacy groups to advance the organization's goals and initiatives.

Some other key responsibilities of hers include policy strategy and development where she is expected to develop, refine, and implement the organization’s public policy agenda in alignment with its mission and long-term strategic goals; conduct thorough analysis and research on relevant policy issues, tracking emerging trends, potential opportunities, and risks in areas critical to the organization’s work; and drafting policy briefs, position papers, and advocacy materials to effectively communicate the organization’s stance on key issues.

Additionally, she is expected to develop and execute a comprehensive policy and advocacy strategy to advocate for policy changes and build relationships with decision-makers as well as serve as the organization’s primary representative in lobbying efforts with government officials, policymakers, regulatory bodies, and other key stakeholders.

About Madam Rosaline Obah

She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from the University of Buea, Cameroon and an international Master's degree in Public Relations and Corporate Communication, specializing in corporate crisis management from the University of Wolverhampton, UK.

She later obtained a Postgraduate Diploma in Peace and Conflict Transformation as a Rotary Peace Fellow at the Makerere University in Uganda and has since garnered over 20 years of professional experience in the areas of peace and gender-based violence activism, communications, among others.

She was the National President for Young African Women Congress (YAWC) Network Cameroon Chapter for five years, where she championed women's empowerment and leadership, fostering a network of proactive young African women. 

She was President of the Cameroon Association of English-speaking Journalists (CAMASEJ), Northwest Region where she spearheaded initiatives to enhance journalistic standards and advocated for gender equality within the media landscape.

Other leadership positions held by her also include National Coordinator for the Cameroon Community Media Network (CCMN), where she trained hundreds of journalists and media professionals on peace journalism and responsible reporting.

On the global stage, Madam Rosaline Obah has served as an Ambassador of the Institute for Economics and Peace and a Rotary Peace Fellow, in which capacity she has engaged in peacebuilding activities through organizing online campaigns, media production on peace, and representing organizations at international forums.

She is also the recipient of numerous national and international awards including the African Dream Achievers Award (2018); the Hilltop Voices Personality of the Week (2015) award; as well as gold medals from the University of Wolverhampton, UK, awarded to her as the Best Course Representative and Academic Lead, acknowledging her academic excellence and leadership.