Iris Mwanza

is an author and gender equality advocate. Born and raised in Zambia, Iris’ early exposure to social injustice was the driving force for her career that has spanned law, global health and, most recently, gender equality – the subject of her debut legal thriller THE LIONS’ DEN, longlisted for the Center for Fiction’s First Novel Prize, and a TIMES 100 Must Read-Books of 2024. Iris has an M.A. and a Ph.D. in international relations from the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies, and law degrees from Cornell University and the University of Zambia. She is experienced in national and global organizations including nonprofits, the World Bank, and the Gates Foundation in the Gender Equality Division. She serves on the Board of Directors of WWF-US and is chair of the Audit Committee. Iris is currently on a writing sabbatical to focus on creative projects, including her next book and screenplay.

Iris Mwanza

Iris Mwanza

‘Nothing Should Be Out of Bounds When Writing’ Iris Mwanza’s First Draft

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Zambian-American writer and author of The Lions’ Den, Iris Mwanza, is surprised by the rise of authoritarianism in the West: ‘The rise of authoritarianism in the West and how the institutional checks and balances designed to protect against it have failed us so quickly and easily have been very perplexing. This is particularly evident in the United States, and I am having a hard time unpacking exactly how, in a democracy, we can vote away our rights.’ Read More...
August/September 2025First DraftInterviewsZambia