Laws, Narratives, Networks: Pacific Women on Political Participation

Across the Pacific, women are entering politics in growing numbers, but the region still has the lowest percentage of women in national parliaments globally. This video brings together women leaders from Fiji, Samoa, Tonga, Vanuatu, and Kiribati to speak in their own words about what it takes to shift that. Drawing on three interconnected pathways, reforming laws and increasing access to resources, changing narratives and challenging social norms, and building networks and coalitions, these women reflect on the barriers they have faced, the strategies that have worked, and what they would tell the next generation of Pacific women leaders. The interviews were collected during the WYDE Women’ s Leadership Regional Intergenerational Dialogue: Waves of Change – Pacific Women in Politics Across Generations, held from 30 September to 1 October 2025 in Nadi Fiji. The WYDE | Women’s Leadership Initiative is a global multi-partner effort to advance women’s full and effective political participation and representation in decision-making at all levels, particularly for those most often left behind. Funded by the European Union and led by UN Women, WYDE | Women’s Leadership leverages collective action, partnerships, and transformative social norms to create impact globally. This video was made possible through the Wave Makers Campaign, an initiative showcasing the impact of women's leadership while advocating for gender equality and political participation led by UN Women and supported by the Government of Sweden. This video aim to stimulate constructive debate on key issues of interest for advancing gender equality and women’s empowerment. The views expressed by the individuals interviewed do not necessarily reflect the views of UN Women, the United Nations system, the Government of Sweden, nor of the European Union. Tags: Women's political participation, Pacific women, gender equality, temporary special measures, gender quotas, women in parliament, Pacific Islands, Fiji, Samoa, Tonga, Vanuatu, Kiribati, women's leadership, political representation, UN Women, WYDE, women's movements, gender-responsive governance, Pacific politics, women's rights