Fiji and Indonesia have co-chaired the first session of this year's Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum in Fiji.
Fiji Speaker Jiko Luveni is official host of the Pacific Parliamentary Forum Photo: Fiji Department of Information
The five-day gathering at a resort in Natadola is to discuss parliamentary partnerships for peace and security which are one of the UN's 17 Sustainable Development Goals.
The Fiji Speaker Jiko Luveni said bridging the gender gap and getting more women into parliament would be among the key discussions at the forum.
New Zealand has sent three women MPs, led by Carmel Sepuloni.
Delegations from about 20 countries were lined up, including the US, Russia, China and Indonesia, as well as Australia and the Marshall Islands.
Ten countries have produced draft resolutions on a range of issues.
Canada, Japan and South Korea are seeking the denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula, Malaysia wants improved border controls and Russia encourages diplomatic means to resolve disputes that could threaten stability in the Asia-Pacific region.
