The African Union: successes and challenges in translating commitment into implementation

Paula Tavares, Tsion Demissie Bergano and Namira Negm

Chapter 25 in Research Handbook on Gender Mainstreaming, 2026, pp 336-349 from Edward Elgar Publishing

Abstract: This chapter examines the African Union's (AU’s) evolving approach to gender mainstreaming, from the Constitutive Act's founding principles to key frameworks such as the Maputo Protocol, the Solemn Declaration on Gender Equality in Africa, and the AU Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment Strategy (2018–2028). It examines the AU's institutional mechanisms, including the Women, Gender and Youth Directorate, gender focal points, and peace and security structures, and their role in translating continental commitments into practice. While highlighting progress in areas such as women's political representation, legal reforms and economic empowerment, the chapter underscores persistent challenges, including limited resources, uneven coordination, and entrenched patriarchal norms. Drawing on case illustrations, it argues that for gender mainstreaming to achieve its transformative potential, the AU must move beyond rhetorical commitments toward consistent institutional practice, resourcing and accountability, turning gender equality from an aspirational goal into a measurable driver of inclusive governance, development, and regional integration.

Keywords: African Union; AU; Gender Equality; Inclusive Governance; Women's Rights in Africa; Women's Political and Economic Empowerment (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
ISBN: 9781035353415
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