Countries of the Pacific region have the lowest levels of women’s representation in parliaments.  The Inter-Parliamentary Union has reported that from 1995 to 2008, globally the average number of women in legislatures has risen from 11.3% to 17.7%. However, the Pacific regional (excluding Australia, NZ and the French Territories) has remained static with average numbers sitting at 2.5% in 1995 and 2008. Pacific women’s contribution as citizens and leaders is significant but it has generally remained informal and is not sufficiently recognized in mainstream political processes and power sharing with men, especially in national decision-making institutions.

The Convention on the Elimination All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) has been ratified by all Pacific Island Countries (PICs), except  Nauru, Palau and Tonga. CEDAW specifically addresses the issue of representation of women in its Article 7 which affirms that: “States Parties shall take all appropriate measures to eliminate discrimination against women in the political and public life of the country…” Articles 2 to 4 of the CEDAW call on State Parties to actively pursue the elimination of discrimination in women's political participation through legal and temporary special measures and affirmative action, for example, by introducing quotas for women's seats in the legislative, executive or the judicial branches of government. The Revised Pacific Platform for Action on the Advancement of Women and Gender Equality (2005-2015) also calls for equitable participation by women and men in public life by increasing the number of women who are appointed and elected to public office.

	Size of the Legislature		Female members		% Female Members		Women in cabinet
French Polynesia	57		24		49.1%		2
New Caledonia	54		24		44.4%		3
Niue	20		4		20.0%		n/a
Guam	15		3		20.0%		n/a
Fiji	103*		13		12.6%		2
Cook Islands	24		3		12.5%		1
Palau	29#		2		6.9%		0
Samoa	49		3		6.1%		3
Kiribati	42		2		4.8%		n/a
Tonga Vanuatu	33&		1		3.0%		1
Marshall Islands	33		1		3.0%		0
Vanuatu Tonga	52		1		1.9%		1
Papua New Guinea	109		1		0.9%		0
Solomon Islands	18		0		0.0%		0
Nauru	16		0		0.0%		0
Tuvalu	15		0		0.0%		0
FSM	14		0		0.0%		0