Assembly/AU//Dec.143 (VIII) DECISION ON THE REPORTS ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE AU SOLEMN DECLARATION ON GENDER EQUALITY IN AFRICA (DOC. EX.CL/306 (X)) The Assembly: 1. TAKES NOTE of the Reports and presentation on the Implementation of the AU Solemn Declaration on Gender Equality in Africa (SDGEA); 2. CONGRATULATES Member States that have so far submitted their baseline reports, namely: Algeria, Burundi, Ethiopia, Lesotho, Namibia, Mauritius, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa and Tunisia; 3. APPPEALS to Member States that are yet to submit their baseline reports to urgently submit these reports, for the AU to have a base upon which to build on the progress made; 4. CALLS ON Member States to implement all the commitments made in the SDGEA; 5. ALSO CALLS upon the Commission to assist Member States in the process of reporting on the Solemn Declaration, and take necessary steps in this direction; 6. REQUESTS Member States to adopt the content of the SDGEA as the framework for the acceleration of the implementation of the existing instruments and platform for gender equality at the national level, in order to maximize the implementation of the SDGEA. 7. INVITES the RECs, development partners, civil society organisations and other stakeholders to work closely with the AU and Member States in the implementation of the Solemn Declaration and report on progress made in this endeavour; 8. REQUESTS the Commission to urgently organise a continental conference on Economic Empowerment of African Women in order to articulate strategies to elevate the economic status of African women, including the establishment of the African Trust Fund for Women; 9. ALSO APPEALS to Member States that have not yet done so, to sign and ratify/ accede to the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa.