Delegates from a recent women's forum in Papua New Guinea have agreed that more leadership training is needed.
Women from across the Pacific region met at last week's Women's Policy Dialogue hosted by the United States and Papua New Guinean governments and the World Bank.
The President of the PNG Women in Business Association, Janet Sape, says the main issues discussed were health, economic and political participation and leadership.
"A lot of women who do not speak up, they're so frightened, they're shy, they're scared. So we need leaders who will need to be trained to get up and stand up and be counted. This leadership training is good because they're going to identify young and experienced leaders to come together. There's going to be mentoring programmes also involved."
Janet Sape says the first of many leadership training opportunities following the Women's Dialogue will be held in Vanuatu in August.
