Africa Wiki Women Breaks New Ground

The Africa Wiki Women has again shown that representation begin with action. As the community achieved a major milestone hosting its first-ever series of in-person training events across the African continent.

This was no ordinary feat. Not only did women gather physically under the banner of Africa Wiki Women a first in itself, but this milestone was simultaneously achieved in three countries spanning West and Southern Africa: Ghana, Nigeria, and Botswana. It was a significant step forward, a testament to the dedication, and years-long efforts of the Africa Wiki Women in bridging the gender gap.

The physical event which was held as part of the Accelerating Action for Gender Equality 2025 campaign, took place in Ghana in collaboration with Women for Sustainability Africa, Fempire, and the Open Inclusive Initiative. The 19 Participants, 12 being women, were introduced to Wikidata as a tool for preserving and sharing data.

The training spotlighted how Wikidata can increase the visibility of Africa women underrepresented in digital space . This wasn’t just in theory but an hands-on experience for participants who rolled up their sleeves to edit, improve, and create over 40 new Wikidata items, focusing on African women politicians and journalists.

Also, in West Africa, Gombe State, Nigeria, another powerful crescendo was reached. In collaboration with the Open Knowledge Development Initiative (OKDI), Africa Wiki Women brought together 20 participants. For half of these participants, it was their first encounter with contributing to open knowledge and interacting with the Wikimedia project. Yet, their impact was immediate and profound. The training exposed participants to Wikidata structure and the use of the Recoin tool for improving data quality. Which led to 190 Wikidata items about African women politicians and journalists being edited.

Meanwhile, in Southern Africa, Gaborone, Botswana. Africa Wiki Women in collaboration with the Google Developer Group Gaborone, University of Botswana. Hosted an empowering session with 17 participants who engaged deeply with the importance of Wikidata in digital representation. The result of the training culminated in 30 new items created and 24 items improved, all centering on African women journalists and politicians .

This milestone is a reminder that the journey toward representation is both local and global and Africa Wiki Women is not only breaking barriers; but building bridges between the past invisibility of African women and a future where their contributions are seen, valued, and preserved.

With the bold steps taken in Ghana, Nigeria, and Botswana. Africa Wiki Women remains relentless in its pursuit of closing the gender gap on Wikimedia platforms. With eyes set on greater collaborations, deeper impact, and more voices joining the movement, the community continues to forge a path for digital equity and collective empowerment.