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Sierra Leone for example, a reproductive health law addressing GBV was adopted. However, theimpact of these laws has not been measured yet and parliaments lack the appropriate means andtools to do so. Many of these laws are not correctly implemented - in Congo Brazzaville and GuineaBissau for example, the quota laws are not respected.Many women parliamentarians present at the regional seminar asserted the existence ofcaucuses/networks within their parliaments (Togo, Sierra Leone, Guinea Conakry; etc) whichadvocate in favour of the adoption of gender sensitive laws. Women caucuses/networks seem tohave an impact in conducting advocacy campaigns in favour of the domestication of genderinternational conventions; however they do not play a role in crisis management and nationalreconciliation yet due to a lack of power/skills. Political violence40. Participants mainly focussed onthe potential for violence duringelections. For example, manycandidates running asindependents experience formsof harassment, particularlywomen.Participantsacknowledgedclearimprovements after the passageof the AU Charter. In Togo andMali, polling station observershave been deployed. ElectoralCommissions and the HighCouncil for Communication havehad a positive impact oncontaining and restrainingpolitical violence during elections. In Guinea for example, preparations for post electoral reformsare moving forward (creation of a permanent electoral commission; review of electoral processes;the set up of a reconciliation commission to deal with the issues of the country since theindependence).21