Overview

The Global WikiEducation Initiative hosted the  #VisibleWikiWomen Campaign 2024 in Tanzania focused on bridging the gender gap on Wikimedia Commons by increasing the representation of women from the global majority. As part of the global VisibleWikiWomen initiative, the campaign sought to enhance visibility and foster inclusivity by uploading images of underrepresented groups, particularly women in Tanzania. Its primary objectives included increasing the number of images of Tanzanian women on Wikimedia Commons, raising awareness about gender representation, and engaging participants in contributing to Wikimedia projects.

The project focused on enhancing the visibility of women from different backgrounds in areas such as:

Culture and Lifestyle:Women who have significantly contributed to cultural practices, traditions, and the arts, as well as those embracing modern lifestyles. 

Sports and Physical Activities: Women who have excelled in various athletic disciplines, including athletes, coaches, and sports enthusiasts. Whether at local or international levels, these women demonstrate excellence, break barriers, and inspire the next generation of athletes through their achievements and dedication. By concentrating on these areas, the campaign seeks to provide a platform for women’s stories and achievements, fostering greater inclusivity and diversity on Wikimedia platforms.

Activities

To achieve these goals, the campaign organized various activities, including training sessions, image collection drives, community engagement events, and editing sessions. The training workshops taught participants how to upload images while adhering to copyright and ethical guidelines. Image collection drives involve collaborations with local organizations, photographers, and cultural institutions to source authentic and diverse images. Community discussions and webinars highlighted the importance of women’s visibility in open knowledge spaces.

Participants Overview

The VisibleWikiWomen Campaign 2024 in Tanzania brought together a diverse group of participants committed to increasing the representation of women on Wikimedia platforms. The campaign involved individuals from various backgrounds, including students, professionals, photographers, educators, and Wikimedia community members, creating a collaborative environment to achieve the campaign’s goals.

Participants were primarily women and youth, with a significant proportion being new contributors introduced to Wikimedia Commons and article editing for the first time. This group benefited from hands-on training in uploading images, adhering to copyright guidelines, and improving related content on Wikimedia projects. Additionally, local organizations, cultural institutions, and photographers partnered with the campaign to provide authentic and high-quality images, further enriching the project. This diverse participation not only enhanced the campaign’s outcomes but also strengthened local awareness and engagement with Wikimedia’s mission of free and inclusive knowledge sharing.

Key Achievements

The VisibleWikiWomen Campaign 2024 in Tanzania achieved significant milestones in content creation, capacity building, community impact, and online engagement, contributing to the broader goals of representation and inclusivity on Wikimedia platforms.

Content Creation
The campaign successfully uploaded over 300 images of women to Wikimedia Commons under the category of VisibleWikiWomen 2024 in Tanzania. These images will be utilized in articles across multiple Wikimedia projects, significantly increasing their reach and visibility while enriching knowledge repositories with diverse and underrepresented narratives.

Capacity Building
Through dedicated training sessions, the campaign equipped over 30 participants with essential skills in Wikimedia Commons and article editing. The initiative also introduced many new contributors, particularly women and youth, to the Wikimedia movement, fostering inclusivity and empowering communities to participate in open knowledge sharing.

Community Impact
The campaign strengthened collaborations with local cultural institutions and organizations, creating a foundation for future partnerships. It also sparked meaningful conversations about representation and inclusion within Tanzanian knowledge ecosystems, emphasizing the importance of visibility for marginalized groups.

Challenges

• One of the notable challenges encountered during the campaign was technical difficulties with the event registration tool. Participants attempting to register under a single local network experienced issues, likely due to network-related restrictions. This hindered the seamless onboarding of participants and created delays in the registration process

Recommendations

1. Establish ongoing collaborations with local institutions to continuously add content to Wikimedia Commons.
2. Provide offline resources or alternatives for participants in areas with limited internet connectivity.
3. Extend the campaign’s scope to include storytelling around the images to provide richer context.

Conclusion

The VisibleWikiWomen Campaign 2024 in Tanzania was a resounding success, contributing significantly to the representation of women and non-binary individuals in open knowledge. The campaign not only empowered participants with new skills but also fostered a culture of inclusivity and representation in Tanzania’s  community. With continued efforts, this initiative can further bridge the gender gap in open knowledge spaces.