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Rose Abunaw Makia, born in Manyu Division of Cameroon, is a pioneering Anglophone politician who became the first woman from the English-speaking regions to serve as Vice President of the National Assembly in 2007.
Rose Abunaw was born in Manyu Division, South West Region of Cameroon, a constituency that has produced several influential Anglophone leaders. Her upbringing in Manyu exposed her to grassroots realities, which later shaped her political advocacy for women and rural communities [1] .
She began her career in the National Union for Democracy and Progress (UNDP). In 1992, she was elected as a Member of Parliament alongside 23 other women, marking a breakthrough for female representation in Cameroon's legislature [2] . In March 2000, she resigned from the UNDP and joined the ruling Cameroon People's Democratic Movement (CPDM), under which she was re-elected as MP. In 2007, she made history as the first Anglophone woman Vice President of the National Assembly of Cameroon, a position she held with distinction [3] [4] . She was succeeded by Emilia Monjowa Lifaka.
She served as regional representative of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association for Africa [5] , and Technical Adviser in international initiatives, including the World Peace Games, reflecting her influence beyond Cameroon. Abunaw holds advanced degrees in Educational Planning and History and a certificate from the United Nations International Training and Education Center. She has been recognized as a Knight of the National Order of Valor for her service [6] .
In early 2025, Hon. Rose Abunaw continued her advocacy for women's leadership in Cameroon and reportedly shifted her support between women's associations in Manyu [2] [4] .