The Office of the Special Envoy of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission on Women, Peace and Security (OSE-WPS) today opened the second cohort of its Basic Training Course on Monitoring and Reporting on National Action Plans (NAPs) on Women, Peace and Security using the AU Continental Results Framework (CRF).

The five-day course, running from 10 to 14 November 2026 in the Small Conference Room at the African Union Headquarters in Addis Ababa, brings together about 40 National WPS Focal Persons, NAP coordinators and monitoring and reporting officers from AU Member States.

To date, 38 AU Member States have adopted National Action Plans on Women, Peace and Security. These plans are a keyway that Member States turn continental and global WPS commitments into national priorities and action.

Adopting a plan is only the first step. Its impact depends on whether countries can track implementation, measure results, find gaps and use evidence to adjust policies and programmes.

The Continental Results Framework, established by the African Union Commission through the OSE-WPS, gives Member States, RECs, RMs and the Commission a common basis for monitoring and reporting on the WPS Agenda in Africa. So far, 20 Member States have reported using the CRF. The gap between the 38 countries with NAPs and the 20 reporting through the Framework shows why continued capacity-building is needed.

The second cohort builds on the first and widens the pool of national and regional experts who can apply the CRF in their own institutions.

The opening ceremony featured welcome remarks by Dr Sally Wangamati, Acting Office Coordinator and Women, Peace and Security Programme Specialist at the OSE-WPS, followed by remarks from Ms Doris Mpomou (AU and UNECA), Ms Natascha Skjaldgaard of the Embassy of Denmark, and opening remarks by Ms Nadia Roguiai of the AU Political Affairs, Peace and Security Department (PAPS) Gender, Peace and Security Programme.

Over five days, participants will cover gender concepts, the WPS Agenda and its four pillars, the role and features of National Action Plans, and the structure and indicators of the CRF. They will also look at data collection, verification and reporting. The course is practical: participants work with their own national plans, map NAP indicators against the CRF, and practice reporting on the CRF digital reporting platform.

Sessions are led by OSE-WPS staff and technical experts, including Dr Remember Miamingi, Dr Ajayi Olumide, Ms Agnes Afi Agbevadi, Ms Monica Musyoni, Ms Josiane Darwatoye, Mr Cartwritte Wambua and Mr Walter Maina.

Speaking on behalf of H.E. Ambassador Liberata Mulamula, Special Envoy of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission on WPS, Dr Sally Wangamati commended Member States' and Training Centres of Excellence' commitments to strengthen national systems for monitoring and reporting on the implementation of National Action Plans.

“A National Action Plan that cannot be measured is a statement of good intentions. A plan that is monitored and reported becomes a tool for change. This week, we are equipping the people who turn Africa’s commitments to women into results that can be seen, counted and acted upon,” Dr Wangamati.

Representing the Embassy of Denmark, Ms Natascha Skjaldgaard noted Denmark’s continued commitment and partnership with the African Union to advance the WPS Agenda.

“The effectiveness of National Action Plans depends not only on their development and adoption, but also on the ability of Member States to monitor implementation, measure results, identify gaps and report progress.” Ms Skjaldgaard

As part of the Plan International Girls Take Over Initiative, Youth Advisory Panel member Ms. Amen Biniyam delivered remarks in place of Ms. Doris Mpomou (AU and UNECA). She emphasized the significance of the Continental Results Framework, urging the need to look beyond mere statistics and consider the real-life experiences of women and girls.

“Let us also remember that data is not just about numbers. Behind every indicator is a woman seeking safety, a girl striving for opportunity, a community rebuilding after conflict, and a future shaped by our collective actions today.” Ms. Biniyam

Opening the training on behalf of the African Union Commission, Ms Nadia Roguiai, Coordinator of Gender, Peace and Security Programme, highlighted monitoring and reporting on NAPs as a collective responsibility. She noted the collaboration between sister AU offices, stressing that the Continental Results Framework falls under the purview of the entire Commission, not just one office.

“The Women, Peace and Security Agenda is a central area of peace and security affairs, not a secondary issue. Gender and women’s participation are integral components of Conflict prevention, mediation, the conduct of peace support operations, and post-conflict reconstruction.”  Ms Roguiai

In her remarks, Ms Monica Musyoni, Lead facilitator for the training, encouraged experience-sharing and exchange, stating, “each of you brings valuable experiences, institutional knowledge, lessons learned and perspectives from your respective countries and organisations”.

By the end of the course, participants are expected to:

•           understand the WPS Agenda, its four pillars and the role of National Action Plans in putting it into practice;

•           be familiar with the structure, indicators and reporting requirements of the CRF;

•           understand the basics of collecting data for CRF reporting; and

•           have hands-on experience using the CRF digital reporting tool.

The training is convened by the OSE-WPS in collaboration with relevant African Union departments, RECs, RMs and technical and development partners. It will close on Saturday, 14 November 2026, with a course evaluation and a closing ceremony. A training report on lessons learned, recommendations and agreed follow-up actions will guide the Office’s continued technical support to Member States.

For more information: Office of the Special Envoy on Women, Peace and Security

Email: wpsa@africanunion.org

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