Throughout the world, women are perceived to participate in politics less than men. While attention is paid to their involvement in women’s organisations and local level government, in aid rhetoric (UNIFEM 1999, World Bank 2001, UNDP 1999a) women’s political participation is framed largely in terms of representation in parliament, a key indicator of the United Nation’s Gender Empowerment Measure (GEM) (UNDP 1999b: 12). In developing countries such as Papua New Guinea, the disparity between male and female representation in parliament is particularly marked, with only one of one hundred and nine parliamentary seats being currently held by a female. This disparity is greatest in the Highlands region, where women are yet to gain representation in Papua New Guinea’s parliament