New Centre on WPS at African Union Peace and Security

Within the African Peace and Security Architecture (APSA), the Peace and Security Department (PSD ) has launched the Gender, Peace and Security Programme  (2015-2020) which aims at developing  effective strategies for gender mainstreaming into  Peace and Security to take into account men’s and women’s experiences and potentialities in building secure and stable societies.

The Programme contributes towards gender mainstreaming, debate and policy development in the field of women, gender, peace and security and in so-doing enhances the dialogue around women’s effective participation in peace and security in Africa, protection in time of conflict and recognition in the post-conflict phase. In furtherance of the above, the Gender, Peace and Security Programme will develop partnership for joint programming, enhanced coordination  and policy formulation in this area by the AUC, the UN, the Regional Economic Communities and mechanisms (RECs/RMs), INGO, CSOs and other multi-lateral and bi-lateral partners working on these issues in Africa. Knowledge development and research will inform the development of long-term strategies and mechanisms to address AU priorities as highlighted in AU strategic plans and policy frameworks. 

The African Union Gender architecture, enshrined in the AU Gender Policy (2009), includes policies and legal instruments that address the issue of women, peace and security that have paved the way for an increase in the number of women in senior level position within the Commission; the nomination of women Special Representative in countries in conflict or emerging from conflict; women mediators and Special Envoys. 

Please download more information in a PDF below or see the original link here.