WLI recently held a Learning and Networking Event focused on women’s current political participation across the Pacific.
The event was facilitated by WLI alumna and *Pathways to Parliament and Policy Influence Group member, Vanessa Teutao, and featured research fellows Theresa Meki and Kerryn Baker from The Australian National University’s Department of Pacific Affairs as guest speakers.
The event provided an opportunity to examine how Pacific women are entering, navigating, and leading in political spaces, and what it will take to strengthen Pacific women’s political representation and influence in the region.
With elections approaching in several Pacific countries, now is a pivotal moment for reflection, strategy, and solidarity. This event offered a timely and thought-provoking exploration of the challenges and opportunities shaping women’s political empowerment across the Pacific.
Time for change
Globally, the national average of women parliamentarians is 26.1%. In the Pacific, excluding Australia and New Zealand, the national average is around 7.7%, meaning that women’s representation in politics across the Pacific remains among the lowest in the world.
And yet female participation in politics in the Pacific region is vital. Women political leaders reshape the nature of politics and international relations by addressing issues perceived as political ‘non-priorities’ in the Pacific, such as gender-based violence, childcare and reproductive health – issues we know to be of utmost importance in the fight for a fairer, more equal Pacific region.
"The number one predictor of peace is gender equality, and one of the key predictors of economic growth is gender equality. So it's vital for our security and prosperity that we have women in decision making positions, supporting really important decisions around the future of their province, country and region." – Theresa Meki.
Despite decades of advocacy and reform, women continue to be vastly underrepresented in legislatures and other formal decision-making bodies at both national and sub-national levels, making political participation and representation a pressing regional development issue. These issues are compounded by a range of factors including social and cultural norms that view politics as a male domain, unequal access to resources such as property and finance, and institutional challenges like limited childcare and inadequate family-leave provisions.
In Papua New Guinea, for example, the 2022 national elections saw only two women elected among 118 Members of Parliament, following several years without any female representation.
Key takeaways
Women’s political representation remains low nationally
Despite some progress, women occupy only about 7.7% of parliamentary seats in the Pacific — far below the global average. However, at sub-national levels, some territories have much higher rates due to quotas and cultural practices.
Barriers are complex and multi-layered
Key obstacles include entrenched social and cultural norms, expensive and resource-intensive campaign processes, lack of strong political party support, and gendered stereotypes that women must overcome to be seen as legitimate leaders.
Cultural and institutional factors influence participation
Gender quotas (especially in French Polynesia and New Caledonia) and matrilineal traditions (in places like Bougainville and Guam) have increased women’s participation in some regions.
“When we talk about women in politics in the Pacific, it’s important to note that things are much more diverse and complex than purely looking at national level statistics. For example, while national-level statistics show low representation of women in Pacific politics, these figures don’t tell the full story. At sub-national levels and in some territories, women’s representation is actually higher, thanks to strong gender quota systems and matrilineal traditions. However, a paradox remains: more women are represented locally than nationally.” – Kerryn Baker
Gaps between support in principle and practice
Data from the Pacific Attitudes Survey carried out in Samoa and Vanuatu show widespread public support for women’s representation, yet actual electoral outcomes lag, reflecting a gap between attitudes and voting behavior.
Campaigns require resources and strategic alliances
Successful women candidates typically have strong local connections, clear visibility, male allies, and deeply embedded support networks. Campaigning is expensive, and resources are often limited for women.
Role of media and social media
While digital tools can help women reach constituents, media and social media can also expose women to harsher scrutiny, harassment, and misinformation, potentially negatively affecting their public image and candidacy.
Emerging solutions and policy ideas
Policy interventions, such as collective funding mechanisms, gender quotas, and education can help shift mindsets. Youth engagement and storytelling also play an important role in changing voter perceptions. Alliance-building, ongoing community support, and institutional efforts to address setbacks and keep moving toward inclusive, effective female leadership is vital.
“Fortunately, perceptions and attitudes surveys show widespread support for greater women's representation in the Pacific. In principle, if you ask people: “Should there be more women in parliament?”, most people would say yes. However, clearly there's a gap between an actual willingness to vote for women and general support for women's political representation. The challenge is turning in theory into actual practice and actually having more women in parliament.” – Kerryn Baker
To conclude, although national-level progress is slow there are signs across the Pacific region that attitudes among voters – especially younger voters – are shifting positively.
***
*The Pathways to Parliament and Policy Influence group is an initiative of WLI participants and alumni passionate about advancing women’s political participation and policy leadership across the Pacific. The group connects aspiring and current leaders through monthly learning sessions, guest presentations, and peer support. Its purpose is to build knowledge, confidence, and networks among women and men seeking to influence public policy, support candidates, or pursue elected office. By sharing regional experiences and practical tools, the group helps strengthen pathways for inclusive, effective and ethical leadership at all levels of decision-making.
For WLI summary papers exploring topics related to women’s political participation in the Pacific region, go here.