the Declaration commits to ‘end the moral shame exemplified by the plight of women, children, the disabled and ethnic minorities in conflict situations in Africa.’. The Solemn Declaration on Gender Equality in Africa (SDGEA) of 2004 reaffirmed UN Resolution 1325 (2000) on Women, Peace and Security. It highlighted the plight of women and children who bear the brunt of conflicts and internal displacement, including rapes and killings yet are largely excluded from conflict prevention, peace negotiation, and peace-building processes. This is in spite of African women’s experience in peacebuilding. The SDGEA urges AU states to ensure the full and effective participation and representation of women in peace processes relating to prevention, resolution, management of conflicts and post- conflict reconstruction in Africa as stipulated in UN Resolution 1325. The SDGEA, African committed to appoint women as Special Envoys and Special Representatives of the AU, an aspiration that was realised under the first female chairperson of the AU. This appointment was significant because it responded to the UNSCR 1325 call for the appointment of more women as special representatives and envoys to pursue good offices missions on behalf of the Secretary General for preventative diplomacy and mediation. Globally, female Special Envoys have been underrepresented despite the imperative and practical reality of ensuring that women’s issues are included in peace agreements and processes. In general, the Special Envoys of the Secretary General are viewed as central to preventing, defusing and resolving conflicts. Analysts suggest that not only do female envoys bring fresh perspectives and alternative approaches to the negotiating table but there is also a greater possibility of prioritizing gender concerns in peacebuilding processes.102 The Additional Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Eights of Women in Africa was adopted in 2003 and is widely referred to as the Maputo Protocol. To date, it is the most far reaching instrument on women’s rights and creates legal obligations on states to promote women, peace and security that are unsurpassed. Article 10 of the Protocol provides for the right to peace for women, a highly unique provision in international treaties. Furthermore, women have the right to participate in the promotion and maintenance of peace, to participate in educational 102 Meet the Envoys: Trends in Envoy Profiles and Appointments. Available at https://peaceoperationsreview.org/thematic-essays/meet-the-envoys-trends-in-envoy-profiles-and-appointments/ 41