OCEANIA: Pacific Women Gather in NZ to Discuss Female Representation in Politics

A New Zealand MP Carmel Sepuloni says it's a continuing battle to improve the abysmal numbers of women in Pacific Island parliaments, but hope is on the horizon.

Pacific women MPs and candidates who haven't succeeded in recent elections have gathered in Wellington this week to discuss female representation in politics.

The region has the world's second lowest representation rate and Carmel Sepuloni says the poor state of women's health in the region is one issue that needs to be addressed if things are to improve.

“If we're going to prioritise maternal health as an issue then we need to have Pacific women in the parliaments. If we're going to have Pacific women in the parliaments then we need to be making sure that we're looking after their health so that they're able to do that.”