OUR GOVERNANCE AND LEADERSHIP

Currently,  a six-person governing Board of Directors, comprising members,  independent directors, and the Council’s President/CEO governs ABSUC.  Board members contribute to the proper governance of and guide ABSUC in  establishing a strategy and policy objectives through active  participation in the Network’s governance and decision-making. 

Board  members serve on the Board on a voluntary basis for a fixed term as  specified in ABSUC’s Statues. The members of the Board agree to abide by  the Network’s Code of Professional Conduct and the Board Charter as set  out by the Board in fulfilling their responsibilities. Also, a  six-person International Advisory Committee assists the Executive Board  in decision-making, policy formulation, and implementation processes.

In  addition, the Board is assisted by a secretariat team headed by the  President/CEO. Other key personnel, consultants, professional  volunteers, and core staff of the Network help implement the decisions  of the Board and other key activity plans, strategies, and policies of  ABSUC. 

Organisational Structure

ABSUC  operations a one-layer organisational corporate structure (One  governance body that oversees all national or regional chapters). The  regional body speaks as one unified voice in pursuit of the Network’s  mission and regional mandate. The regional body is referred to as the  General Assembly which meets once a year, and where all members meet to  converge on the affairs of the Network and its overall operations. In  addition, the executive secretariat that handles the day-to-day affairs  of ABSUC is based in Freetown, Sierra Leone. As its operational hub, the  secretariat handles membership recruitment, regional and global  advocacy, training and capacity building of members, resource  mobilization, stakeholder engagement, and other activities as stated in  the strategic plan of action. 

The  secretariat was purposely established in Sierra Leone as a form of  solidarity to bring the operations of the Network and its regional and  global affairs closer to the people and communities its members seek to  serve. By so doing, ABSUC promotes transparency and accountability to  its key stakeholders.

Efforts  are on the way to establish sub-regional or liaison offices in East  Africa, Central Africa, North Africa, Southern Africa, and West Africa.  These regional and liaison offices will help facilitate policy advocacy  efforts, training and capacity building, resource mobilization,  membership recruitment, stakeholder engagement, and other activities as  authorized by the Board of the Council.