Finance is one of the major barriers women in the Pacific face as candidates. Most candidates attribute their electoral failure to the lack of financial resources to compete on equal terms with men. While those in political parties had, in most cases, their registration fees covered the majority who run as independents have to raise their own funds by having events, using personal finances or taking out loans. Where women are economically disadvantaged and the vast majority are without access to personal finances, the race is open to those from well-to-do, educated elite. Hence women lacking financial resources to underpin their campaigns have very little chance of being regarded by their voters as capable of returning services and commodities to the electorate are, and are thus rendered unelectable. Another distinguishing aspect that plays against women’s strategies for campaign financing is the lack of linkages with their constituencies. Vast majority of women candidates not live in their electorates, and have failed to build a constituency support base. For e.g., 81 percent of female candidates lived in Honiara (Solomon Islands) but stood in different constituencies throughout Solomon Islands which further distanced them from their electorates. This means that women candidates do not have much context with the voters and were regarded as unfamiliar with local issues and unreliable parliamentary representatives. While no similar analysis has been undertaken of male candidates, the very traditional view of the normalcy of male leadership, coupled with their greater access to financial support discriminates positively in their favor. Consistent with many pacific island countries, the culture of “gift giving” makes it even harder for women candidates to uphold principles of good governance and responsible representation. Female candidates are often asked for money by their constituents in exchange for votes, a practice which has had a negative impact on the communities, changing democratic values into a culture of votes for money. Despite the lack of funds, women employ a number of campaign strategies to reach out to their constituencies. Rallies, village-to-village visits and public meetings are held, as well as sensitization workshops for campaign teams. Media is an important strategy that women candidates need to use effectively and proactively. One of the outcomes of UNIFEM Pacific’s Gender Equality in Political Governance (GEPG) program is to promote positive media coverage of women’s active leadership and citizenship through partnership with mainstream and community media in the case study countries of Solomon Islands, PNG, and Vanuatu. Dr Priya Chattier Gender Equality and Political Governance Program UNIFEM Pacific