identified in the review process across the four pillars. The NPoAs’ successful implementation focuses as much on processes as outcomes. Broad participation by citizens, civil society and the private sector in areas where they can make meaningful contributions is key to ensuring inclusive democratic processes. Good practices in the NPoA implementation phase have been identified in countries that integrate NPoAs in national development and planning frameworks. Just like NPoAs, unless NAPs on UNSCR 1325 are mainstreamed across relevant sectors, implementation programmes and monitoring mechanisms they do not fulfil their potential. At the 25th Summit of the African Union Summit, 2015, the AU Heads of State and Government resolved to “develop, implement, and report on National and Regional Action Plans on United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 (UNSCR 1325) to accelerate the Women, Peace and Security Agenda’’.262 There were 25 African countries with NAPs by March 2019.263 Even then, many countries are challenged by poor implementation of important commitments made in the NAPs due to limited resources, inadequate mainstreaming of issues across different sectors and weak monitoring. Weaknesses have been noted in the turnaround time of renewing lapsed NAPs and RAPs, which also lack implementation monitoring mechanisms. Involvement of CSOs working in various areas of peacebuilding is key when developing the NAP. Governments in some countries are working more closely with CSOs as partners in peacebuilding in recognition of their contributions, expertise and legitimacy in governance processes but this is not always guaranteed. In Uganda, the involvement of CSOs in the first NAP of 2008 was negligible although in the drafting of the second NAP, CSOs were key contributors.264 Furthermore, efforts to implement the NAP are stronger and more discernible at the national level than at the subnational level 265 In Uganda and Sierra Leone, efforts of CSOs focusing on localising NAPs at 262 African Union Commission ‘Implementation of the Women, Peace, and Security Agenda in Africa’ Office of the Special Envoy on Women, Peace and Security 2016 263 AU Peace and Security Council Press Statement 19 March PSC/PR/BR. (DCCCXXXIII) 264 Global Network of Women Peacebuilders ‘Implementing Locally, Inspiring Globally: Localizing UNSCR 1325 in Colombia, Nepal, the Philippines, Sierra Leone, and Uganda, October 2013, 265 African Union Commission ‘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 88