Transcript
The head of the Tonga National Centre for Women and Children says she is happy and proud to see so many women running for parliament in Tonga's upcoming general election.
Fuiva Kavaliko says she thinks Tongan voters will respond positively to the women candidates standing to represent them.
She says the quicker than usual build up to the elections may well favour women.
"I hope that with this quick, you know this change, to me it's an abrupt change, on having to dissolve the parliament and then have this election, I hope that this will be a chance for women to get in."
Fuiva Kavaliko says the women candidates are very good and stand a real chance of being elected despite tradition favouring men.
Akosita Lavulavu is currently Tonga's only woman Member of Parliament after being voted in at a by election in 2016.
She won in her husband's seat after he was found guilty of conspiracy to commit bribery on three separate occasions.
Ms Lavulavu is standing again this time round and says she thinks most people in Tonga are not worried about the gender of politicians.
"What our people are more concerned about is, is this person who is running for candidacy whether male or female are they ready to get in there? And do what they want to do. The desires, to further the desires of the people, and be faithful to the people that they represent."
She says she can see there is more confidence in the women who have registered to become candidates but it is up to the voters who they choose.
"Women need to have a very well planned, proactive campaign strategy. I believe if they put all their heart and effort into it and focus on the people that they are ready to represent, they'll get in. But other than that it's all up to the people. but it would be nice to have another female member in parliament and not just myself."
Lepolo Taunisila heads the Tongan Women's National Congress and says Tonga is so fortunate and excited that finally women are coming forward and are more interested in political issues.
She says most of the women candidates have good qualifications and years of experience in various fields and their participation in the election is a blessing for Tonga.
She says the Congress is fully supporting the women in every way it can to achieve a more sucessful result than in the past.
"We've looked at some of the shortcomings in the previous elections and we've looked at what type of campaign would be most relevant. So we've discussed that and tried to help them with door to door campaigning. That's how the people look at the candidates. They prefer them to come to their homes and get to know them better and their specific needs."
She says women have a huge contribution to make to the development of Tonga and she is hopeful several women might well be elected on the 16th of November.
