African Union Calls for Women, Peace and Security to Move From Commitment to Delivery
Deputy Chairperson Selma Malika Haddadi says women’s leadership must be placed at the centre of Africa’s conflict prevention, peacebuilding and security efforts.
By: Ebenezer Adugyamfi/ Emmanuel Ayiku for GhanaianNewsCanada
September 15, 2026
The African Union has called for Women, Peace and Security (WPS) to become a central part of the organisation’s institutional priorities, warning that commitments to women’s participation and leadership must translate into policies, resources and measurable results across the continent.
The call was made by H.E. Ambassador Selma Malika Haddadi, Deputy Chairperson of the African Union Commission, who represented the Chairperson of the Commission, H.E. Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, at the launch of the Strategic Plan 2026–2028 of the Office of the Special Envoy on Women, Peace and Security.
The three-year strategic plan provides a framework for strengthening the AU’s work on women, peace and security and seeks to move the continental agenda beyond advocacy towards stronger institutional coordination, accountability and implementation.
WPS must not remain on the margins
Ambassador Haddadi argued that Women, Peace and Security should not be treated as an additional responsibility placed on the African Union.
Instead, she said it should be understood as an essential component of mandates the organisation is already responsible for delivering, particularly in conflict prevention, mediation, peacebuilding, humanitarian action, recovery and reconstruction, governance and sustainable development.
“Women, Peace and Security cannot sit at the margins of our institutional priorities. It must be central to how we respond to the challenges facing our continent.”
She stressed that women are both affected by conflicts and critical contributors to efforts to prevent violence, resolve disputes and rebuild communities.
The AU therefore needs to recognise women’s experiences, leadership and contributions as part of its broader approach to peace and security.
From commitments to resources
A major concern raised at the launch was the gap that can exist between political commitments and actual implementation.
Ambassador Haddadi called for WPS commitments to be reflected directly in the AU’s policy design, programming, resource allocation and performance measurement.
That means the success of the agenda should not be judged simply by how frequently women’s participation is mentioned in official policies or speeches.
Instead, the AU should examine whether those commitments are changing the way institutions operate and whether they are producing better outcomes for women and girls across Africa.
The Deputy Chairperson also emphasized the importance of accountability, arguing that institutional commitments must be supported by the necessary financial and administrative systems.
A collective responsibility
The implementation of the strategic plan, she said, cannot rest solely with the Office of the Special Envoy.
It requires coordinated action across the African Union Commission, AU organs, Member States, Regional Economic Communities and Regional Mechanisms, civil society organisations and international partners.
Member States will have an important role in translating continental commitments into national policies and programmes, while regional institutions will be expected to strengthen implementation and coordination.
Women peacebuilders and civil society organisations are also expected to remain central to the process because of their experience and understanding of the challenges facing women in conflict-affected communities.
Special Envoy’s office seeks stronger coordination
The Strategic Plan gives the Office of the Special Envoy a clearer framework for its work while creating opportunities for closer cooperation across the African Union system.
The AU says stronger coordination is necessary because peace and security challenges across the continent are interconnected.
Conflict prevention, mediation, humanitarian response, governance, recovery and sustainable development cannot be treated as isolated areas when women and girls are affected by each of them.
The new plan is therefore intended to help connect these areas rather than allowing Women, Peace and Security to operate as a separate policy agenda.
The challenge ahead
The launch marks an important institutional commitment, but the real test will be implementation over the next three years.
The AU’s Deputy Chairperson said progress should ultimately be measured by whether the objectives of the plan become part of the organisation’s planning, budgeting, administration and accountability systems.
That would represent a shift from simply recognising the importance of women in peace and security to making their participation an established part of how African institutions operate.
Building a more inclusive peace and security system
Across Africa, women continue to play important roles in community mediation, peacebuilding, humanitarian response and efforts to maintain social cohesion, even though they remain underrepresented in many formal decision-making structures.
The African Union’s new strategic plan seeks to address that gap by strengthening women’s participation while ensuring their experiences and leadership influence policies and programmes.
For Ambassador Haddadi, the central issue is therefore not whether Women, Peace and Security deserves a place on Africa’s agenda.
It is whether the continent’s institutions are prepared to turn existing commitments into action.
“We cannot speak credibly about preventing conflict, building peace and strengthening resilient societies without fully recognising the leadership, experiences and contributions of women.”
The next three years will determine whether that commitment becomes embedded in the AU’s institutions—and whether the changes ultimately translate into tangible improvements for women and girls across Africa.
