Women Writers Committee

Logo for PEN International Women Writers Committee with a red feather quill and text.

Founded in 1991, the PEN International Women Writers Committee (WWC) exists to amplify and protect the voices of women and gender-diverse writers worldwide. From its earliest defence of Nawal El Saadawi to its recent work on gender rights and climate, the Committee has been at the forefront of defending freedom of expression for those most at risk.

The WWC stands for the rights and creative freedom of women and LGBTQIA+ writers, recognising that when their voices are silenced, freedom of expression is diminished for all. Through advocacy, solidarity, and the power of storytelling, the Committee continues its three-decade legacy of advancing equity and inclusion across the global literary community.

DISCOVER MORE ABOUT THE WWC
Women and men participating in a panel discussion at a conference, with a large screen displaying the panel topic, 'Rooted Resistance—Indigenous Women, Climate Crisis, and Ancestral Knowledge.' The panelists are seated at a table with water bottles and notebooks, and signs with drawn portraits of the panelists are placed in front of some of the attendees.

More from the Committee

Women's Manifesto

Nearly ten years ago, the Women’s Manifesto was created by the PEN International Women Writers Committee as a powerful call to action to defend women’s freedom of expression around the world.

The Manifesto set out key principles to challenge censorship, violence, and inequality faced by women writers and journalists, and to promote equal access to education, publishing, and public life. Almost a decade on, the Women’s Manifesto remains as urgent and relevant as ever, continuing to guide PEN International’s work to ensure that women’s voices are protected and celebrated everywhere.

  • An older woman with long gray hair speaking into a microphone at a conference. She is wearing layered necklaces, bracelets, and a badge. Behind her, a large screen displays a meeting presentation.

    Judyth Hill

    Chair
    Judyth Hill, poet, maestra, editor, author of nine books of poetry and the internationally acclaimed poem, Wage Peace, is Chair of the PEN International Women Writers Committee, Special Projects Director San Miguel Writers Conference, President Emerita of San Miguel PEN, and Managing Editor of Wild Rising Press.



  • A woman with shoulder-length brown hair and glasses speaking at a podium with microphones, wearing a black outfit and pearl necklace, with an orange and red background.

    Tanja Tuma

    PEN Slovenia and Vice Chair of the Board of PEN International
    Tanja Tuma is a publisher and writer, now president of PEN Slovenia and Vice-Chair of the Board of PEN International. She has worked for 25 years in the publishing and bookselling industry locally and internationally, but after 2010 she dedicated herself entirely to writing. She has published six novels, four in English and two in Slovenian.

  • A woman with long gray hair, wearing a colorful embroidered red blouse and a beaded necklace, sitting indoors with a serious expression.

    Lucina Kathmann

    WWC Board Member
    Lucina Kathmann is a writer and activist from the USA. Her multilingual books, essays, and short stories have been published internationally. She was chair of the PIWWC from 1996 to 2000. She has been active on the PIWWC from before the committee was formally accepted in November 1991 to the present.

  • Older woman with gray hair and glasses, smiling, wearing a striped shirt and black vest, sitting against a gray background.

    Sarah Lawson

    WWC Secretary and English PEN Member
    Sarah Lawson, born in the USA but long resident in England, is a poet and translator and has been a member of English PEN since 1979, serving at various times on its board and its Writers-in-Prison Committees



  • A woman with long curly red hair and glasses, smiling, wearing a black dress, with a crossbody bag, wristwatch, and bracelets.

    Olha Mukha

    WWC Board Member

    Olha Mukha, PhD, is a cultural analyst and philosopher, cultural manager, curator and expert on international communication and human rights, and she is known for her extensive work in cultural diplomacy and human rights.

  • A woman with glasses and curly hair sits at a table, holding a smartphone in her hands and looking at the camera. She is wearing a black jacket and a patterned top.

    Wezi Glory Msukwa-Panje

    PEN Malawi
    Wezi Glory Msukwa-Panje is a Malawian poet and a celebrated children’s book author whose works are used in Malawian schools. She is also an editor, translator and passionate linguist, advocating for language preservation and promotion, literacy, creativity and linguistic diversity in schools of all education levels.



  • A woman with curly dark hair and glasses sitting at a conference table, resting her chin on her hand, with other people sitting and standing in the background.

    Mahi Ramakrishnan

    PEN Malaysia President
    Mahi Ramakrishnan is a refugee rights activist and runs a non-profit organisation, Beyond Borders, which works to promote and protect the rights of refugees and stateless persons in Malaysia.She is also a poet and lives in Malaysia.






  • Close-up of a woman with long brown hair, red lipstick, and small earrings, leaning on her hand, smiling in front of a bookshelf filled with books.

    Sotiria Georganti

    PEN Greece Secretary
    Sotiria Georganti has studied Law and English Literature, writes literary reviews and conducts interviews with prominent writers. She has been Chair of the PEN Greece WWC since 2022 and was elected General Secretary of PEN Greece in 2025.




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