The Director-General of the Secretariat of the Pacific Community says female representation in the region's parliaments is still below the global average.
Speaking on International Women's Day in New Caledonia, Dr Jimmy Rodgers said the Pacific countries had on average just over 16 percent women representation while the global target is 30 percent.
Dr Rodgers says many of the region's countries do not have women in parliament at all.
He commended New Caledonia and French Polynesia for achieving equal representation at the political level.
This is in line with a French law that makes gender balance mandatory.
