Fifteen of the 86 candidates who have put their names forward for the election on 16 November are women.
In 2014, 16 women stood for election out of 104 candidates.
There was only one woman in Tonga's last parliament - Akosita Lavulavu, who won a by-election in her Vava'u number 16 seat last year.
The head of the women's centre Fuiva Kavaliko said she thinks Tongan voters will respond positively to the women candidates.
She said the short build-up to the election may well favour women.
