This chapter assesses the extent to which the African Union (AU) has mainstreamed gender equality in its peace and security agenda. It begins by developing a conceptual framework to articulate the case for incorporating a gendered analysis of the peace and security challenges in Africa. It then examines the challenge of gender-based violence in conflict situations on the African continent. In particular, it discusses how Africa has witnessed the confluence between gender, violence, and war in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Darfur. The chapter will assess some of the key international instruments for promoting gender equality, with a specific focus on UN Security Council Resolution 1325. The chapter also briefly assesses the efforts that the AU has undertaken to mainstream gender into its peace and security institutions and agenda, arging that the AU gender mainstreaming initiatives have been largely top-down and there is a need for it to take more concrete steps to actualize its normative claims.