Fiji, Oct. 15 -- In 2016, Dr Hilda Heine of the Republic of the Marshall Islands became the first woman elected president of a Pacific Island country. She returned to the presidency in 2024.

Her leadership demonstrated that women can lead Pacific nations.

A decade after her historic election, a harder question remains: are the Pacific's political systems ready to make room for more women to lead?

Cook Islands has just completed its national elections, and Fiji, the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) and Marshall Islands are preparing to go to the polls next year. Gender parity therefore deserves particular attention now, while candidate lists are being drawn and campaign budgets set. The problem is not a lack of women with leadership...