The 40 heads of state attending the third annual summit in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa adopted an 11-point plan of action on women's and children's rights.
The AU leaders promised to launch within a year a campaign against the physical abuse of women and the recruitment of child soldiers.
They declared their opposition to forced marriage of children and child trafficking but did not make any specific pledges of action on the issues.
They also promised to change laws to ensure that women have the right to inherit property.
In a declaration, the AU summit said the leaders agreed "to reinforce legal mechanisms that will protect women at the national level and end impunity of crimes committed against women".
They said they would ensure the "full and effective participation representation of women in peace processes, management of conflicts and post-conflict reconstruction".
The leaders also announced plans for a trust fund to promote skills training for women, particularly those in rural areas.
Much of the activity on day two of the three-day summit focused on the unveiling of the AU's strategic plan for the next three years.
Presented by the chiarman of the AU commission, Alpha Oumar Konare, the plan has a pricetag of $1,7-billion. It includes proposals for a standing rapid-reaction force of 15 000 peacekeepers, funding to implement an economic reform programme to attract foreign investment, and plans to increase the AU commission's operating budget.
No agreement has yet been reached on how the plan would be funded. The AU is proposing that member states hand over 0,5% of their national budgets.
"If we don't have funding, we'll never get anywhere,"Konare told reporters.
The leaders of six West African countries agreed late Tuesday on the sidelines of the AU summit to hold a high level meeting of the parties to the conflict in Ivory Coast.
The meeting is to be held on July 29 in Accra, Ghana to consolidate consensus on "all the essential issues" facing the peace process in the troubled West African country.
Also on the AU summit sidelines 20 African heads of state and government met yesterday to discuss implementation of their sustainable industrial development strategy.
The Implementation Committee of Nepad (New Partnership for Africa’s Development) was addressed by Nigerian President Olusegun Obassanjo, Chairman of the Committee, and Ethiopian Prime Minster Meles Zenawi.
Nepad's primary objectives are to eradicate poverty and place African countries on a path of sustainable growth and development.
Later in the day the 20 African leaders joined the plenary session of the AU summit as it started deliberations on pressing trouble spots in the continent. – Sapa-DPA.
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