Women in Tuvalu are calling for more training to allow them to contribute at a national level.
Speaking at a workshop on democracy and the media, the President of Tuvalu's National Council of Women, Katalaina Malua says women should be involved in the decision making process of government.
But she says they are ignorant of the workings of government and the media.
The co-ordinator of the Tuvalu Association of NGOs, or TANGO, Annie Homasi, says a recent pay increase that MPs granted themselves highlighted the need for women to be involved at the highest level.
She says the parliamentarians involved in the salary review were the same MPs, who, sitting on a different committee endorsed their own recommendations.
The women leaders say that cultural sensitivities are holding women back from pursuing a career in politics.