Wiki OTO 2026: A new collaboration to make African women more visible

by
Translate this post

From 25 August to 25 September 2026, Wiki OTO returns to bring Wikimedia contributors together to increase the representation of African women on Wikidata.

Wiki OTO grew out of the Wiki Loves Women Focus Group, established in 2021 as a community of women Wikimedians from across Africa and beyond. As the Focus Group programme has evolved into a new format, the campaign is entering a new chapter.

For 2026, Wiki Loves Women, an initiative of Wiki in Africa, is partnering with Africa Wiki Women to organize Wiki OTO together. This collaboration brings together two communities committed to strengthening the visibility and representation of African women in free knowledge.

In Yoruba, Àrà-Ọ̀tọ̀ means “unique”, a fitting name for a campaign celebrating the women whose stories, achievements and contributions deserve to be better represented.

This Year’s edition

The 2026 edition of Wiki OTO will focus on Women in Politics, highlighting the contributions and achievements of African women in this field.

Running from 25 August to 25 September 2026, the campaign will mobilize Wikimedia contributors worldwide to create and improve Wikidata entries, add reliable sources, and strengthen the representation of African women in structured free knowledge.

The campaign is open to Wikimedia contributors of all experience levels, as well as students, researchers, Wikimedia communities, and anyone interested in contributing to the documentation of African women’s lives and achievements.

Participants can join the campaign through the Wiki OTO dashboard, where they can register their participation, track their contributions, and access campaign information and resources.

Learn How to Contribute

New to Wikidata or looking to strengthen your skills? Join us for a Wikidata training session on 31 August 2026 at 3:00 PM UTC (Register here).

The session will introduce participants to Wikidata and provide practical guidance on how to create and improve items related to African women in politics. It will also be an opportunity to learn together, ask questions, and get ready to contribute to the campaign.

Don’t forget to follow us on social media:

Can you help us translate this article?

In order for this article to reach as many people as possible we would like your help. Can you translate this article to get the message out?