10 Dec 2017

'Just keep raising your voice' - Pacific MPs visit NZ parliament

From The House , 7:30 am on 10 December 2017

Visiting women MPs from the Pacific have picked up some tips to take back to their Parliaments.

Representation of women in Pacific Parliaments is among the lowest in the world but the Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians (CWP) hope to increase women's participation in politics. 

Niue MP Mona Ainuu, Tonga MPs Akosita Lavulavu and Losaline Ma'asi and Fiji MP Salote Radrodro visited Wellington this week for a CWP mentoring programme run by the Pacific Region chairperson and Labour MP Poto Williams.

The MPs said they've picked up a few skills to take back to their own parliaments, particularly for handling question time.

From left to right: Niue MP Mona Ainuu, Tonga MP Akosita Havili Lavulavu, Fiji MP Salote Radrodro, and Tonga MP Losaline Ma'asi.

Pacific MPs attend a Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians mentoring programme aimed at sharing practical strategies with the participants. From left to right: Niue MP Mona Ainuu, Tonga MP Akosita Havili Lavulavu, Fiji MP Salote Radrodro, and Tonga MP Losaline Ma'asi. Photo: VNP / Daniela Maoate-Cox