corporate social responsibility private companies prefer to be politically neutral and may be averse to peacebuilding work which may bear political connotations,.307 They can also fuel conflict in cases of natural resources exploitation or in war economies and side with whoever can advance their profit margins. If private companies are not conflict sensitive, they can retrigger conflict through unfair and exploitative practices, take sides with oppressive factions or seek to maintain unconscionable status quo.308 The Pillar of Socio-Economic Development The NEPAD Declaration states that democratic governance is the key to creating the conditions for attaining socio-economic development. Within that, the promotion of gender equality is fundamental. APRM focuses on reviewing the standard of living of people, income, health, education, environment and freedoms.309 The integration of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is part of APRM’s analytical framework. The APRM’s mandate was extended by the 28th AU Assembly of Heads of States and Government to include tracking of the implementation of the continent’s key governance initiatives and monitoring of the implementation of the AU Agenda 2063 and (SDGs) and Agenda 2030.310 Four objectives constitute the focus of the country review processes and implementation targets in the socio-economic development (SED) pillar; Promoting and accelerating broad-based sustainable socio-economic development; Encouraging broad-based participation in development; Poverty, unemployment and inequality; and; Progress towards gender equality, particularly equal access to education for girls at all levels. The next sections focus on two of these; Promoting and accelerating broad-based sustainable socio-economic development and progress towards gender equality. 307 Issue Paper: The Role of Business in Conflict Resolution and Peace Building" (Cambridge: Collaborative Learning Projects, Corporate Engagement Project, February 2003). 308 Andersson et al ‘Private Sector Actors and Peacebuilding: A Framework for Analysis’ Swedish Institute of International Affairs, 2011 309 APRM Revised Questionnaire 2012 310 AU ‘African Peer Review Mechanism’. Available at https://au.int/en/organs/aprm 99