PSC/PR/BR.(DCCLVII) Page 1 PRESS STATEMENT The Peace and Security Council (PSC) of the African Union (AU), at its 757th meeting held on 13 March 2018, dedicated an open session to the theme: ‘The plight of women and children in conflict situations in Africa’. Council took note of the statements that were delivered by the Ag. Director for Peace and Security Department, Dr. Admore Kambudzi, the Director for Women, Gender and Development, Ms Mahawa Kaba Wheeler and by the representative of the United Nations Office to the African Union, Nathalie Ndongo-She. Council also took note of the presentation made by the Senior Advisor to President Yoweri Museveni on Women and Gender and Executive Secretary of the Pan-African Women Organization (PAWO), Madame Grace Kabayo. Council recalled its previous decisions and pronouncements on women and children in conflict situations, particularly Press Statement PSC/PR/BR. (DCCVI), adopted at its 706th meeting held on 26 July 2017 and Press Statement PSC/PR/BR. (DXVII) adopted at its 597 th meeting held on 10 May 2016. Council noted with deep concern the continuing violence against women and children in conflict and crisis situations, as well as in post-conflict settings. Council also noted with concern the low levels of participation of women in various official roles in formal peace processes and political settlements, as well as weak support to women’s and children’s economic recovery and empowerment in post-conflict settings. In this regard, Council urged AU Members States to redouble their efforts to ensure that their national laws are in line with the provisions of United Nations Security Council (UNSC) Resolutions 1325 and 1612, relevant AU instruments and other international instruments for the protection of the human rights of women and children. Council urged AU Member States to further strengthen their national legal and policy frameworks, including by signing, ratifying and domesticating all relevant regional and international treaties relating to women and children. Council further urged Member States to develop their own sufficiently resourced national action plans to better prevent and respond to the needs of women and children, particularly in violent conflict settings. In this context, Council congratulated all those Member States, which have already developed their national action plans in conformity with UNSC Resolutions 1325 and 1612, and called on those which have not yet done so, to also urgently develop their own national action plans. Council stressed the need for Member States to further strengthen their national justice systems in order to effectively fight impunity and promote justice for the victims of gender based violence and sexual exploitation and abuse against women and girls. In this context, Council