Judge Esther Ayuk, founder of CYJULERC is a magistrate by profession and a human rights advocate. She worked as a Deputy State Prosecutor for four (04) years and a Judge for thirteen (13) years after a Post – Graduate Program in Magistracy at the National School of Administration and Magistracy (ENAM), Yaoundé. After a first degree in Common Law and a Masters in Business Law in Yaoundé University II, Esther studied an LLM in International Legal Studies, and a Certificate in International Human Rights at the prestigious Georgetown University Law Centre in Washington DC, United State of America. As a passionate advocate for human rights and social justice, she build her capacity to meet up with challenges. She was granted the covetous Chevening Fellowship award on Gender, Citizenship and Human Rights at the Development Planning Unit of the prestigious London University College (2007), Mediation in Law – New York Center for Mediation (2005).

Her continuous work granted her another award to do an LLM International Legal Studies, Certificate International Human Rights, and Leadership and Advocacy for Women in Africa (LAWA Fellow-2010) in Georgetown University Law Center, Washington DC, USA. She also did International Leadership Program at Georgetown University. She was also selected to do the Georgetown International Leadership seminar in 2010.

The impact of these trainings can be felt in the pro bono legal assistance CYJULERC gave to 473 employees who were wrongfully dismissed from a tea company called Cameroon Tea Estates in 2004, seven (7) laws to promote women’s rights adopted in the 2016 Penal Code, the various projects to promote women and children’s rights, the construction of a multimedia center in the marginalized Manyu Division and the creation of a Cooperative for female NTFPs farmers. Capacity building of state and non-state sector and promotion of synergies to promote social justice and peace building and empowerment to improve the lives of the marginalized has been Esther’s initiative. After over 17 years of work, her passion to put smiles on faces and be the voice of the voiceless increases especially with the increased sexual and gender based violence (SGBV) in three conflict zones of Cameroon for over 4 years.