Francesca Semoso Photo: Pacific Women in Business
For Francesca Semoso, a former Bougainville MP, running for the Papua New Guinea national parliament, growing understanding throughout the country about the Bougainville quest for independence is her biggest aim.
She is standing in North Bougainville, which was won last year by the sitting MP, William Nakin who died during the counting process.
Ms Semoso was one of the first three women to win a reserved seat in Bougainville in the first election for an autonomous Bougainville Government in 2005.
The former radio personality is being backed by the ruling Pangu Party and Prime Minister James Marape, who says they are backing her because they need more women elected to the National Parliament.
RNZ Pacific's senior reporter Don Wiseman spoke with Ms Semoso and began by why she has thrown her hat in.
