The APRM review of standards and codes in the DPG pillar analyses the extent to which countries are adhering to commitments under national, regional and international treaties and declarations on human rights. The Report of the UN Secretary General on Peacebuilding and Sustaining Peace links the peace and security pillars to human rights mechanisms, including special procedures, the treaty monitoring mechanisms and the universal periodic review. 193 There is a wide body of treaties and declarations, resolutions and statements on important rights that are relevant to gender and peacebuilding, many of which are considered by the APRM review process. By March 2019 only 13 of 40 states parties had submitted reports containing content on the Maputo Protocol,194despite its rich provisions on peace and security. b) Participation in formal peace processes and decision making structures. Women have a right to participate in government and decision making under Article 7 of CEDAW which most countries have ratified and domesticated. As a testament to the acceptability of the principle theoretically, no African country has a reservation lodged against Article 7.195 The Maputo Protocol extends this right to inclusion in peacebuilding structures and processes for conflict prevention, management and resolution at all levels. Increased women’s participation in decision making is notable in several countries that have adopted special measures such as quotas and proportional representation, although it is not accompanied by qualitative capacity building efforts to increase women’s effectiveness in office. Less success has been evidenced in executive and judicial appointments of women and yet women’s involvement in conflict resolution extends to policy making and adjudication. Failure to meet the growing demand for greater public participation by women in decision-making processes risks social disruption and can be a long-term driver for political conflict. 193 A/72/707 S/2018/43 Panel Discussion on the State Reporting Obligations and Guidelines on Reporting under the Maputo Protocol 29 April 2019 University of Pretoria. Available at https://www.up.ac.za/faculty-of-law/news/post_2807209panel-discussion-on-the-state-reporting-obligations-and-guidelines-on-reporting-under-the-maputo-protocol 195 United Nations Treaty Collection. Available at https://treaties.un.org/Pages/ViewDetails.aspx?src=IND&mtdsg_no=IV-8&chapter=4&lang=en 194 70