Adopted by the Peace and Security Council (PSC) of the African Union (AU), at its 1268^th meeting held on Friday, 21 March 2025 on Women, Peace and Security in Africa.

The Peace and Security Council,

Noting the opening statement by H.E. Ambassador Mohamed Arrouchi, Permanent Representative of the Kingdom of Morocco to the African Union (AU) and Chairperson of the Peace and Security Council (PSC) of the AU for March 2025; and the Introductory Remarks by H.E. Ambassador Bankole Adeoye, AU Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security;

Also noting the statements by H.E. Parfait Onanga-Anyanga, Special Representative of the United Nations (UN) Secretary-General to the AU; by Ms. Alessandra Budello, Representative of the European Union (EU) Delegation to the AU; as well as the statement by Ms Nouzha Bouchareb, former Minister and leading figure in the national chapter of the African Women's Network for Conflict Prevention and Mediation (FemWise Africa); and Ms. Nefertiti Mushiya Tshibanda, Permanent Representative of the International Organization of Francophone (OIF);

Recalling the AU Decision [Assembly/AU/Dec.868 (XXXVII)] adopted by the 37th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the Union on 17-18 February 2024, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, stressing the imperative for the protection of women, youth, and children and vulnerable groups in situations of conflict and crisis;

Also recalling its previous decisions and pronouncements on Women, Peace and Security in Africa and related themes, particularly Communiqué [PSC/PR/COMM.1187 (2023)] adopted at its 1187th meeting held on 17 November 2023; Communiqué [PSC/PR/COMM.1109 (2022)] adopted at its 1109th meeting held on 3 October 2022; and Communiqué [PSC/PR/COMM.1242 (2024)] adopted at its 1242^nd meeting held on 31 October 2024 on the Briefing on Women, Peace and Security interlinkage;

Committed to the Beijing Platform for Action, adopted in 1995 at the Fourth World Conference on Women, which aimed at achieving gender equality and empowering women and girls and the UN Security Council Resolution 1325 (2000) that marked a landmark in recognition of the vital role of women in peace and security; and 

Acting under Article 7 of its Protocol, the Peace and Security Council,

1. Condemns all forms of violence perpetuated against women and girls during situations of conflict and crisis, and other situations, in particular during women’s participation in peace support operations; in this respect, reiterates zero tolerance for sexual and gender-based violence against women, and elimination of all forms of violence against women; and calls on for accountability of perpetrators of violence against women and girls in Africa;

2. Commends the Chairperson of the AU Commission for regularly publishing annual reports since 2019 on the implementation of the Woman Peace and Security (WPS) Agenda, based on the reports submitted by Member States that have adopted National Action Plans (NAPs), by using the Continental Results Framework (CRF) for the monitoring and evaluation of the implementation of the WPS Agenda;

3. Encourages Member States that have not yet adopted their NAPs to redouble their efforts in this regard, in order to move the WPS agenda forward in their respective countries through the active participation of women, the youth and grass-roots communities;

4. Expresses appreciation to the AU Commission for developing normative frameworks such as the Maputo Protocol, AU Solemn Declaration on Gender Equality in Africa, AU Strategy for Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment (2017-2027), AU Policy on the Prevention of and Response to Sexual Exploitation and Abuse in Peace Support Operations (PSOs), adoption of the AU Guidelines on gender-sensitive responses to the COVID-19 pandemic and the adoption of the Kinshasa Declaration; and also expresses appreciation for AU Heads of State and Government for action on Positive Masculinity in Leadership to End Violence against Women and Girls;

5. Underlines the importance of charting the way forward for the implementation of the WPS Agenda in Africa through the development of clear and realistic roadmaps; in this regard, calls on the AU Member States to redouble their efforts in incorporating the WPS Agenda into national and local priorities, considering the specific situation and socio-cultural dynamics of each country;

6. Underscores the need for the AU Commission to carry out an assessment that will assist AU Member States to develop a national policy on promoting women, peace and security;

7. Underlines the need to strengthen the four main pillars of the WPS Agenda, namely participation, protection, prevention and, relief and recovery, particularly in conflict situations; and Reiterates the Council’s call for the full and effective participation of women in peace processes, including early warning, conflict prevention, mediation and dialogue; as well as encourages all Members States to develop an early warning mechanism for conflict prevention in order to protect women from being affected by conflicts;

8. Recalls the need to ensure adequate and sustained funding for women, peace and security initiatives on the continent;

9. Acknowledges the impact that emerging threats to peace and security like climate change and epidemics has on women and girls; in this respect, underscores the need to factor these impacts into the strategies for the implementation of the WPS Agenda in Africa;

10. Emphasizes the need to establish clear indicators and robust monitoring and evaluation mechanisms to report regularly on the status of commitments relating to the WPS Agenda;

11. Underlines the need to advocate for the implementation of the United UN Security Council Resolution 1325, adopted on 31 October 2000, which addresses the impact of armed conflict on women and emphasizes the importance of women’s participation in peace and security efforts.

12. Highlights, the key role of the Special Envoy of the Chairperson of the AU Commission for WPS of advancing the women, peace and security agenda and for coordinating the efforts of the various relevant stakeholders in that regard; and congratulates the FemWise Africa for supporting women in conflict situations and for strengthening the role of women in conflict prevention and mediation efforts in the continent; and

13. Decides to remain actively seized of the matter.

Source: https://www.peaceau.org/en/article/communique-of-the-1268th-meeting-of-t...