Australia's Ambassador for Women and Girls says Australia can help Pacific nations improve poor levels of female leadership.

Natasha Stott-Despoja is the head of an Australian delegation to Tonga to meet about 30 women in politics from around the region.

Female representation in Pacific parliaments is around five per cent compared to the global average of almost 22 per cent.

With support from UN Women’s Fund for Gender Equality, the Network of NGOs in Trinidad and Tobago is training women to be more effective in running for election. They seek to learn the rules, use the rules and change the system.

Like a DJ, she stands aboard the campaign truck, microphone in hand, singing along “we’re ready” and dancing to soca, calypso and dancehall rhythms, popular even during elections in Trinidad and Tobago.

Women in Zanzibar will have more courage to take part in future elections, should the BRIDGE training introduced in Zanzibar be effective.

Speaking at the opening of the five-day BRIDGE training on 'Gender and Elections' to members of the Zanzibar Electoral Commission (ZEC) and women activists, senior members of ZEC said it was a timely and crucial capacity building.

Support for Brazil President Dilma Rousseff has edged higher in the latest polls, following a sharp fall earlier this year, but rising inflation could hurt her prospects.

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