At this year’s Wiki Conference Nigeria, Africa Wiki Women presented a session on Championing Inclusion In the Wikimedia Movement, viewed through a feminist lens. This session brought together participants to reflect on how we can address the challenges faced by underrepresented groups and promote diversity among contributors in the Wikimedia space.
Understanding the Inclusion Gap
One of the key points of the session was understanding the inclusion gap within the Wikimedia community. The statistics are clear: 81% of Wikipedia biographies across all languages are about men, 80% of active editors identify as men, 70% of men identify as organizers, 72% of pageviews come from people who self-identify as men and only 7% of Wikimedia administrators identify as women. These figures underscore the need for intentional efforts to close these gaps. It is crucial that we create environments where everyone has equal opportunities to contribute and be represented.
The Importance of a Feminist Lens
Approaching inclusion through a feminist lens goes beyond addressing gender. It acknowledges the systemic barriers that prevent marginalized groups, including women, people of color, and other underrepresented communities, from fully participating. The feminist approach emphasizes equity, ensuring that resources and opportunities are distributed based on the unique needs of individuals and communities.
Challenges Faced by Women in Wikimedia
Through the discussion, we explored several challenges that women face when participating in Wikimedia projects, particularly in campaign organizing. Women’s contributions are often overlooked or undervalued compared to their male counterparts. Additionally, practical barriers such as access to childcare, travel support, and reliable internet continue to affect women’s ability to participate fully.
Inclusion Gap in Campaign organizing
When organizing Wikimedia campaigns, there’s an urgent need to recognize the difference between equality and equity—where the latter is often missing. Award systems that have traditionally favored highly motivated male editors reinforce participation gaps, leaving women’s contributions undervalued and frequently overlooked. Addressing these disparities requires more than just acknowledging the problem; we need tangible support structures. The cost of internet connectivity, access to devices, childcare, and travel support are often missing from campaign planning and budgeting. Without accounting for these, we unintentionally exclude many women. Additionally, there is a significant lack of data to understand the unique challenges within different communities, as not every group faces the same barriers. Equity demands that we tailor our solutions to meet specific needs. Importantly, inclusion efforts cannot be treated as one-time campaigns—they must be sustained, deliberate, and adaptable to ensure long-term impact.
One major takeaway was the need for long-term solutions—not just one-off campaigns. Women need ongoing mentorship, leadership and support programs, and safe spaces where they can grow their skills and take on more visible roles in decision-making processes.
Practical Steps Toward Inclusion
During the session, we shared several practical strategies to make Wikimedia more inclusive. These include:
- Inclusive language and pronoun use at events.
- Accessibility facilities for participants with disabilities, such as closed captioning or alt-text descriptions for images.
- Monitoring and encouraging equal speaking time during discussions to ensure that everyone’s voice is heard.
- Creating safe spaces for open dialogue, where participants can express concerns and disagree respectfully.
Feminist Organizing and Intersectionality
The session also highlighted the importance of intersectionality in feminist organizing within Wikimedia. This means recognizing that gender inequality intersects with other forms of discrimination, such as race and class. For example, a feminist perspective in Wikimedia is not just about gender—it also addresses how racial and socioeconomic factors affect participation.
When we adopt a feminist approach, we can build inclusive structures and policies that actively ensure marginalized voices are heard and valued. This requires intentional planning and implementation at every level of the Wikimedia movement.
Moving Forward: Actionable Ideas and Networking
The session concluded with actionable ideas for promoting inclusivity within Wikimedia projects. Attendees left with a deeper understanding of the importance of diversity in content creation and community engagement. Participants were also able to ask questions and further discuss. Africa Wiki Women is committed to advancing gender equity within Wikimedia.
As we move forward, the lessons learned from this session will continue to inspire efforts to create a more inclusive, representative Wikimedia community—one where everyone’s voice is acknowledged and valued.
About the presenters
About Africa Wiki Women
Thank you to all the participants who contributed to this important conversation. Let’s continue working together to make Wikimedia a more inclusive space for all.
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All photos by Ruby D-Brown and under CC-BY-SA 4.0
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