Women Insight on China

Introducing WiCH: Empowering Women in China Studies Across Europe

The Women Insight on China (WiCH) is a new initiative aimed at addressing the underrepresentation of women in the field of China studies across Europe. Designed and run by the Association for International Affairs (AMO), a leading Czech think tank specializing in international relations and with a long-standing commitment to promoting gender equality in international security and politics, WiCH is supported by the China Observers in Central and Eastern Europe (CHOICE) platform. This collaboration provides a solid foundation for WiCH, enhancing its reach and impact by connecting it with an established China watching audience across Europe.

Why WiCH?

Despite growing interest in China and its global role, women analysts in Europe face several challenges, including limited access to professional networks, underrepresentation, and a lack of visibility. WiCH is a proactive response to these challenges, aiming to build a pan-European community where women in China studies can thrive. By fostering connections, providing mentorship, and amplifying the contributions of women, the initiative seeks to address gender imbalance and ensure diverse perspectives in China-related research and policy discussions.

WiCH is vital for creating a more inclusive, dynamic, and comprehensive understanding of China – one that integrates the expertise and insights of women across Europe.

Research: Where are Europe’s Women China Experts?

Between October 2024 and October 2025, WiCH tracked gender representation across 268 events and 210 podcast episodes organized by 63 European think tanks. The results are as revealing as they are sobering: men made up roughly two-thirds of all speakers, while women accounted for just 34.7 percent. Two participants identified as non-binary, and one preferred not to disclose gender identity.

Despite growing awareness of ‘manels’ (all-male panels), they remain stubbornly present: 44.8 percent of all China-related events in Europe featured only men. Another 16 percent included a woman moderator but no female speakers. In total, nearly two-thirds of all moderated sessions had no woman in a speaking role at the stage. 

Podcast episodes produced by renowned think tanks and universities leading the China research in Europe were not better: 63.8 percent of guests and 62 percent of hosts were men. So, to borrow (and lightly reimagine) Bob Dylan’s famous refrain: where have all the China girls gone?

See the full research here.

Focus Areas

WiCH’s mission is grounded in four key areas:

1. Promoting gender diversity in China analysis: WiCH advocates for increased representation of women in China studies, ensuring their voices are integral in research, policymaking, and public discourse.

2. Building a collaborative research community: WiCH encourages joint research, resource sharing, and peer support among women analysts to foster collaboration and innovation.

3. Mentorship and professional development: WiCH offers structured mentorship programs and workshops to support the career advancement of women analysts, helping them build critical skills and professional networks.

4. Highlighting women’s voices in China discourse: WiCH actively promotes women analysts through public forums, media, and conferences to ensure their contributions are recognized and their perspectives heard.

Envisioned Activities

WiCH aims to create a vibrant, supportive community through various activities, including both online and in-person events to help women analysts build connections and foster a sense of community. It will also offer skill-building workshops on media engagement, policy advocacy, and research methodologies tailored specifically for women in China studies. It wants to create a platform encouraging joint articles, research papers, and policy briefs to amplify the contributions of women to China studies.

Besides that, WiCH plans to launch speaker series and webinars featuring prominent women China analysts, policymakers, and scholars sharing their expertise and insights, and create a mentorship program, pairing early-career analysts with experienced professionals to offer guidance and career support. Finally, we hope that in foreseeable future WiCH will be able to offer small grants to support women pursuing innovative research on China.

WiCH believes in partnerships and wants to join forces with global networks, think tanks and academic institutions to expand the reach and impact of the network’s initiatives.

WiCH is launching despite the absence of dedicated funding because we feel the need for this platform is urgent. We invite those who share our vision to support this initiative – whether through partnerships, expertise, or resources. Together, we can build a more inclusive, dynamic, and comprehensive understanding of China in Europe.

For further inquiries and partnerships, please contact us via email ivana.karaskova(at)amo.cz.

The Women Insight on China Co-Chairs