Cover -- Title page -- Copyright page -- Contents -- Acknowledgements -- Acronyms -- Introduction - The purpose of this guide -- Part One - AU Organs & Institutions -- Assembly of Heads of State and Government -- Chairperson of the African Union -- Executive Council of Ministers -- Permanent Representatives Committee (PRC) -- Commission of the African Union -- Peace and Security Council (PSC) -- Pan-African Parliament (PAP) -- African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights (ACHPR) -- African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child -- African Court on Human and Peoples' Rights (to become the African Court of Justice and Human Rights) -- Economic, Social and Cultural Council (ECOSOCC) -- New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) -- African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) -- Specialised Technical Committees (STC) -- Financial Institutions -- Funding of the African Union -- Regional Economic Communities (RECs) -- Part Two - INFLUENCING AU DECISIONS & POLICIES -- The AU decision-making process -- Civil society engagement with the AU Organs -- NGO observer status with the AU -- Accessing information -- Influencing national-level decisions on AU proposals -- AU Summits -- Part Three - The Union Government Debate -- Appendices -- Appendix 1: AU Regions -- Appendix 2: Regional Economic Communities recognised by the African Union -- Appendix 3: Useful websites and contacts -- Back cover.