30+ Years of Solidarity, Literature, and Action
Our History
Women Writers Committee
1991-2025
34 YEARS OF SERVICE
1986
Conception of the Committee
- At the PEN Congress in New York City, Joanne Leedom-Ackerman and other women raised concerns about the lack of women on panels.
- Mobilized by writers including Betty Friedan, Grace Paley, Meredith Tax, and others, the idea of a Women Writers Committee was born.
1991
Official Founding
At the PEN Congress in Vienna, the Women Writers Committee was voted into existence as a standing committee.
Meredith Tax (USA) became the first chair.
1993
Frankfurt Book Fair
The Committee sponsored the South-North Publishing Workshop to connect women writers from the Global South with publishers from the North.
1993-2003
Trilingual Newsletter
Launch of Network/Le Réseau/La Red, a newsletter in English, French, and Spanish edited by Lucina Kathmann.
Featured reports, creative work, and cases of imprisoned women writers.
1995
UN World Conference on Women (Beijing)
Chair Greta Rana led a delegation of women writers.
Secured PIWWC’s right to attend the UN Commission on the Status of Women annually in New York.
1995-2007
Regional Conferences
- 1995, Guadalajara (Mexico): Latin American writers conference on censorship.
- 1996, Nepal: Workshop on barriers to women writing in South Asia.
- 1998, Guadalajara: Second Latin American conference (Libertad Condicional / Conditional Liberty).
- 2001, Guadalajara: Iberoamerican Conference of Alternative Publishers.
- 2005, Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan): Strengthened Central Asian women writers.
- 2007, Finland & Kyrgyzstan: Follow-up with publications (The Insatiable Furnace; The Nightingale in a Cage).
- 2007, Dakar (Senegal): Conference with broad participation from African women writers.
2003
Amy Dawson-Scott Prize
Literary prize awarded in Mexico City to:
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Elspeth Sandys (New Zealand) for English-language writing
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Nuria Blanchard (Spain) for Spanish-language writing
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2009-2016
Digital Presence & Social Media
The trilingual newsletter transitioned to online-only.
PIWWC expanded its advocacy via Twitter and Facebook.
Human rights campaigns supported women like Taslima Nasrin (Bangladesh), Nawal al Saadawi (Egypt), Gao Yu (China), Pussy Riot (Russia), Narges Mohammadi (Iran), and many more.
2015
First Woman President of PEN International
After nearly 100 years, PEN International elected its first woman president: Jennifer Clement.
2018-2024
Zoë Rodriguez Strengthens the Committee’s Global Voice
Zoë Rodriguez was elected Chair of the Women Writers Committee, bringing a focus on accountability and visibility for women in PEN.
At the 2018 PEN Congress in Pune, she challenged the persistence of all-male panels, pressing organizations to ensure gender balance — a principle tied to the ongoing VIDA Count.
Under her leadership, the Committee amplified international reports from women writers in Myanmar, Ukraine, Russia, Afghanistan, and Iran, bringing regional struggles to global attention.
During the COVID-19 years, Zoë led the shift to Zoom meetings, keeping the Committee connected and influencing PEN International to host its first online Congress.
She also championed the creation of Know Her Words, a project designed to highlight women writers worldwide, foster translations, and encourage book clubs and cross-cultural dialogue.
September 2024
WWC at the International PEN Congress in Oxford
For the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic, PIWWC members met in person again at the PEN International Congress.
Judyth Hill (San Miguel PEN) was elected as the new Chair of the Women Writers Committee, succeeding Zoë Rodriguez, who served for six years.
Chairs of the Committee
Meredith Tax
(1991–1994)
Greta Rana
(1994–1996)
Lucina Kathmann
(1996–2000)
Martha Cerda
(2000–2003)
Judith Buckrich
(2003–2009)
Kadija George
(2009–2011)
Ekbal Baraka
(2012–2015)
Elizabeth Nordgren
(2015–2018)
Zoë Rodriguez,
(2018–2024)
