A tireless campaigner hoping to see more women in the Papua New Guinea parliament, Dame Carol Kidu, says she is quietly optimistic there will be successes in the coming election.
Nominations for the elections in July are due to start this week and a record number of women candidates is expected.
There have been just seven women elected to the PNG parliament in its nearly 50 years of existence, with none in the current parliament.
Dame Carol was a cabinet minister for three terms, finishing in 2012, but has been active since, campaigning for more women MPs.
Don Wiseman asked her how confident she is that more women might break through.
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Waiting to vote in PNG's 2017 national election, Morobe province. Photo: RNZ / Johnny Blades