How colourism and social media abuse have roiled Pacific beauty pageants

By Alice Lolohea, ABC Elsie Polosovai didn't enter the world of beauty pageants for the glamour or personal glory. Instead, the reigning Miss Solomon Islands title holder saw the contests as a platform for bigger things - including advocating for women's health. "It's such a big, important issue in the Solomon Islands," she says. "Especially with the rise of cervical cancer, breast cancer, and the gap in the health system with palliative care, and also prevention." Beauty pageants have waned in