5.0 AFRICA’S WOMEN, PEACE AND SECURITY INSTITUTIONAL AND POLICY FRAMEWORKS AT THE CONTINENTAL AND REGIONAL LEVEL The saying goes that prevention starts before it becomes even visible.106 The establishment of mechanisms and processes for conflict prevention, management and resolution are important in promoting practices and cultures of conflict resolution in a systemic manner. These mechanisms are also useful for monitoring societies and communities proactively to detect potential threats to the peace and are all fundamental peacekeeping and peace building initiatives. This section analyses the efforts in place at the AU level, the Regional Economic Communities (RECs) or Regional Communities (RMs) and Sub Regional initiatives, within the context of women, peace and security. African Union Peace and Security Architecture (APSA) The AU Peace and Security Commission was established in 2003 and later on the Africa Peace and Security Architecture (APSA), comprising of the Peace and Security Council (PSC), Panel of the Wise, Continental Early Warning System, African Standby Force and the African Peace Fund. The APSA Roadmap 2016-2020 and the AU Master Roadmap on Practical Steps for Silencing the Guns by 2020 are essential documents that outline the various strategies for conflict management on the continent.107 The AU developed a Gender, Peace and Security Programme 2015-2020 which in part addresses the protection of women in conflict and post-conflict situations in Africa.108 Under this programme, gender focal points work with RECs to incorporate gender issues and across the APSA.109 The AU Strategy for Gender Equality and 106 UN Department of Political Affairs ‘Keynote Speech at the Conference on Transformative Global Governance: China and the UN, Under-Secretary-General Jeffrey Feltman 13 January 2014,’. Available at https://www.un.org/undpa/en/node/183353 107 Institute for Security Studies `Conflict Prevention: What’s in it for the AU? ISS Policy Brief 103, May 2017 108 AU ‘African Union launches five-year Gender Peace and Security Programme 2015-2020’ June 2014. Available at http://www.peaceau.org/en/article/african-union-launches-five-year-gender-peace-and-securityprogramme-2015-2020 109 AU ‘Implementation of the Women, Peace, and Security Agenda in Africa’ Office of the Special Envoy on Women, Peace and Security of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC) 2016 44