Wikimujeres/Reports/2023
Since the launch of Wikimujeres in 2015, we have been working to train editors with a gender perspective. We are focusing on the following areas
- Improving the quality of information: Diversity of perspectives enriches content, as different experiences allow us to observe details that others may miss, making articles more accessible and understandable.
- Increasing inclusion: Including more women encourages participation and collaboration, leading to more effective problem solving.
- Strengthening community: Increasing women's participation helps build communities that foster change in relationships.
- Enriching social dynamics: Involving more women helps to strengthen connections within the community.
- Promoting global impact: Including more women can amplify Wikipedia's impact, creating a more informed world.
- Maintaining ethical standards: Addressing gender inequality is consistent with Wikipedia's mission to empower people through the transparency of knowledge.
- Leading by example: Wikipedia can pioneer effective solutions to gender inequality, reinforcing its position as a leader in virtual collaboration and innovation.
Below is the annual report and highlights of the User Group for the last 12 months. You can check last year's report for 2022 here and a list of monthly activities here.
Education[edit]
Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF) and Universitat Autónoma de Barcelona (UAB)[edit]
Our Wikimujeres editing space at Universitat Pompeu Fabra continues to be our primary showcase, meeting point, and forge for new editors. We also continue our work at the Autonomous University of Barcelona in Graduate Diploma in Gender and Equality Graduate Diploma in Gender-Based Violence.
In both spaces, we provide pedagogical methods to examine the challenges Wikipedia presents to women contributors and encourage students to analyze and expand topics related to women. We teach professors how students can add content to Wikipedia on topics of equality, equity, and gender-based violence. We address feminist concerns, promote activist projects, and inspire students to value research and historiography from new perspectives.
We organise dialogue and support sessions for women editors, fostering camaraderie and mutual support. We believe that maintaining ongoing support, both in person and virtually, provides an ongoing sense of community. This project requires a weekly investment in community building and maintenance, as recruiting, retaining and motivating people is a task that requires time and personal training, the value of which cannot be measured by metrics alone (see results here). If there was a metric to calculate the investment of hours in mentoring and meeting preparation, we could better understand the value of Wikimujeres
Helping to Combat Harassment and Loss of Activity as a Women Editor[edit]
We consider it essential to treat new users well if we want to significantly increase the number of active women Wikipedians. We emphasize the need to promote healthy and sustainable communication practices to protect online information ecosystems and ensure their long-term success. We have observed that when editors receive toxic comments, they react immediately and stop editing; for this reason, mentoring and personalized attention are crucial to overcoming obstacles and facilitating participation. Our sessions focus on the main challenge they face when starting to edit: how to interact with the community and navigate its numerous rules. Our goal is for Wikipedia and its sister projects to inspire greater confidence by showcasing the policies that moderate content, such as the neutral point of view, copyright, and notability criteria.
Empowering and Creating Leaders[edit]
While recruiting more women to become Wikipedia editors is essential, promoting gender equity in content creation, it is also evident that we must increase the participation of women in decision-making spaces. For this reason, we invest time in developing essential technical and human skills for their growth to improve their leadership capabilities, make the movement more diverse and sustainable, and create a more inclusive environment that encourages the active participation of women in Wiki projects.
Contributions to the 2030 Strategy[edit]
We have continued to actively participate in the 2030 Strategy, knowing that decision-making must be equitable, where all voices are heard and considered. We believe in the importance of building an inclusive and diverse movement, where decisions are made collaboratively and representatively. Therefore, we consider it imperative to empower women to achieve gender equity and their representation in Wikimedia. As can be seen on the activities page, we have participated in as many meetings as possible regarding the 2030 Strategy.
Collaborations with Partners[edit]
Iberoconf 2023[edit]
At Iberoconf 2023 in Bogotá, we participated in discussions about the major challenges we face in implementing the 2030 Strategy, the governance model, and the creation of an inclusive and representative space, always contributing our cross-cutting vision of gender inclusion and equity.
WikiWomenCamp 2023[edit]
We were selected to be part of the Capacity Building Cohort, which aimed to equip participants with the skills and knowledge needed to translate the 2030 strategies into action. We also participated in the Strategy Cohort, where the creation of a "Hub" focused on "Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion" was discussed. This Hub is intended to serve as a central resource to promote diversity within the Wikimedia movement while specifically addressing the gender gap in both content and the lack of women editors.
Other Activities and Projects[edit]
We have participated in the Feminist Theory Course led by Ana de Miguel and collaborated with the Barcelona Open Data Initiative co-founded by Lourdes Muñoz. And also we follow some Wikimania 2024 events online, but especially we follow the WikiWomen Summit, on August 15-16th.
Las imprescindibles[edit]
During 2023, we have continued developing biographies for the “Las imprescindibles” (The Indispensables) project, which works in conjunction with the Los derechos de las mujeres también son Derechos Humanos project.
Editathons[edit]
We continue to organize talks, editathons, and workshops, such as International Day of Women and Girls in Science or in VIII Congreso Economia Feminista.