“We need to work across all levels grassroots, traditional, professional, and national to truly change the landscape of political leadership for Pacific women,” said Sashi Kiran, Fiji’s Minister for Women, Children and Social Protection, during last week’s talanoa session on advancing women’s political participation in the Pacific. The session, part of the Pacific Technical Cooperation Programme of the Committee on the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), brought together women leaders and advocates from the Cook Islands, Fiji, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and beyond. The dialogue focused on the implementation of General Recommendation 40 (GR 40), which provides specific guidance on achieving gender parity in political and public life. Among the key voices was Mereseini Rakuita, Principal Strategic Lead Pacific Women and Girls at the Pacific Community (SPC), who reinforced the need for systemic change. “Creating pathways for women into leadership positions takes a whole system approach… it takes a whole of nation approach. Every sector of our economies has a role to play in this important discourse,” she said. Kiran acknowledged both cultural progress and structural challenges in Fiji’s political landscape. Provinces now nominate women to the traditionally male-dominated Great Council of Chiefs, and over 160 women currently hold traditional titles. Yet despite this progress, gender disparities persist. In the last national election, although 238,000 women voted, female candidates received only 8% of the votes. “Why do we not lift other women up?” Kiran asked. “None of us are perfect, but we focus a lot on other women’s imperfections. That’s something we all must work towards changing.” Cyberbullying was raised as a major deterrent for aspiring young female leaders, adding to a list of social and psychological barriers. “Even with policies in place, online harassment remains a reality for many of our young women,” she noted. To help bridge this gap, Fiji’s Parliament has introduced a series of mock parliaments, such as the Women’s Practice Parliament and the upcoming Youth Practice Parliament, as training grounds for future leaders. These initiatives have created “real buzz,” according to Kiran. “Last year’s women’s parliament created a huge buzz, and most of the participants are still being mentored and supported,” she said. “Some are preparing to contest local government elections, while others have chosen to support women candidates in their communities.” But leadership development must begin even earlier, she stressed, through school elections, youth boards, and mentorship programs. “We must ask: how do we evolve leadership from adolescence? How do we take these conversations beyond urban centres into communities, schools, scouts, and guides, and help young people build confidence early?” A powerful reminder of the importance of this came from Ana Malia, a youth advocate from Tonga and member of the Pacific Women’s League Board. She shared her dream of one day becoming Tonga’s first female Prime Minister. “It might sound crazy to some,” she said, “but it’s a dream I hold close, and I hope someday it’s possible.” Ana Malia challenged the panel with a bold question: Could the strategies designed to uplift women in leadership also be applied to amplify adolescent girls’ voices and ensure intergenerational equity in leadership decision-making across the region? She also spoke candidly about a recent study in Tonga where women, when asked to choose between equally qualified male and female candidates, overwhelmingly preferred to vote for the man. “That reality is reflected in our elections,” she said. “It shows how far we still have to go especially when women don’t believe in other women as leaders.” As the Pacific continues to grapple with the lowest rates of female political representation in the world, efforts like these from electoral reform to grassroots mentorship are critical. “These are just steps,” said Kiran. “But with each one, we’re getting closer to building a system where young women see themselves as leaders and are seen by others as leaders too.”