Africa Wiki Women Technical Research/Overview
The Africa Wiki Women Technical Research aims to address the significant underrepresentation of African women in the Wikimedia movement, both in content creation and leadership roles. Current data from platforms like Humaniki and the Wikimedia Foundation's 2024 reports underscore a persistent gender gap in African women’s representation. This gap manifests in low participation rates, limited leadership opportunities, and a stark imbalance in the content about African women on Wikipedia.
Our initiative is a collaborative effort to foster an inclusive and well-coordinated platform that empowers African women within the Wikimedia ecosystem. By strengthening organizational structures, engaging with diverse women-led Wikimedia groups, and co-creating strategies, this project aims to advance gender equity and create a more representative Wikimedia community.
Organizing Team
- AWW Founders
- AWW Fellows 2024
Activities
- Community regional conversations, Focus Group discussions and surveys:
- Conducting two online awareness sessions and six focus group discussions.
- Engaging 30 African women from East, West, North, and Southern Africa, alongside interviews with women-led Wikimedia affiliate groups and key stakeholders.
- Mapping Women-Led Wikimedia Initiatives:
- Research and document existing women-led Wikimedia groups and their activities across Africa.
- Collaborate with research professionals from the Wikimedia community to drive this mapping process.
Timeline/Activities
| Event name | Community | Facilitators/Moderators/Focus group participants | Time/Date | Zoom link | Session recording |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st Regional Conversation | Anglophone | Nwonwu Uchechukwu P, Ruby D-Brown | 15:00UTC/ 20th Dec 2024 | Zoom link | Session recording |
| 2nd Regional Conversation | Francophone | AdjoEsse, Ruby D-Brown | 18:00UTC/ 20th Dec 2024 | Zoom link | Session recording |
| 1st focus group discussion | Francophone | AdjoEsse, Ruby D-Brown | 10th JAN 2025 - 18:00UTC | FGD | FGD |
| 2nd focus group discussion | Francophone | AdjoEsse | 14th jan – 18:00 - 19:00 UTC | FGD | FGD |
| 3rd focus group discussion | Francophone | AdjoEsse | 21 jan - 16:00 - 17:00 UTC | FGD | FGD |
| 4th focus group discussion | Francophone | Nwonwu Uchechukwu P | 17 Jan 17 - 15:00 -16:00 UTC | Zoom link | FGD |