The need for a CADSP first emerged at the African Union Summit held in Durban in July 2002. Subsequent meetings had taken place in March, May and July 2003 which had ultimately culminated in the drafting of the CADSP. The draft policy was generally accepted by all delegates and the policy was scheduled for adoption on the 28 February 2004 at an African Union (AU) meeting in Libya.
The core principle of the policy was the sovereign equality and interdependence of AU member states. Conflict resolution should be undertaken by peaceful means and a military response should be used as a last resort.
How does this policy relate to women and the WPS AGenda?
Objective III (W) speaks to the effective participation of women in conflict prevention, conflict management, and conflict resolution activities. This objective clearly states that no women should be left out.
