Movement Charter/Content/Values & Principles

This was a historical draft of the Wikimedia Movement Charter. The latest version of the Charter that is up for a global ratification vote from June 25 to July 9, 2024 is available in the main Meta page. We thank the stakeholders of the Wikimedia movement for their feedback and insights in producing this draft.

Presentation about the Values & Principles chapter by MCDC member Georges Fodouop.

The Wikimedia Movement represents a factual, verifiable, open, and inclusive approach to knowledge. The Wikimedia platforms serve knowledge to a global audience, and the projects they host are driven by independent initiative. The policies and everyday practices are guided by a balance of values established in the Movement Strategy Principles, Movement Charter, and as practiced in the communities that empower all Wikimedians everywhere to be able to participate on a basis of equity.

The values and principles recognize that this approach to sharing knowledge is a collaborative endeavor, and aim to keep the focus on:

Free and open knowledge

The Wikimedia Movement shares all of its content, all its software, all its platforms with the world, using open licensing. It also commits to the inclusion of knowledge that has historically been marginalized - including within its projects.

Independence

The Wikimedia Movement strives to operate independently, without any favoritism that would hinder the free knowledge mission. The movement is not driven by commercial, political or other monetary or promotional influences.

Inclusivity

The Wikimedia Movement values a common space where everyone can participate, and co-create with a people-centered vision. The projects are presented in many languages, and accessible on diverse platforms with universal design and assistive technologies. The basis of the work within the movement is respect for diversity and the rights of communities. To do so, the people in the movement establish and enforce codes of conduct, complementary to the Universal Code of Conduct, so that everyone feels valued and equally included.

Subsidiarity

The Wikimedia Movement entrusts authority to the most immediate or local level that is appropriate, on both the platforms and in the organizational governance. Thereby, the movement ensures a capable self-management and autonomy of communities that acts in accordance with the values of the global movement.

Equity

The Wikimedia Movement empowers the communities across an unequal world by recognizing the diversity of the challenges they face. The digital rights to security and privacy of its users and participants are a priority for the movement as a whole. The movement takes active measures for equity in knowledge, and provision for allocation of resources through decentralized management and community empowerment.

Accountability

The Wikimedia Movement holds itself accountable through the transparency of shared editable documentation where at all possible, public notice and reporting of programs and activities, and the prioritization of voices representing community leadership for the roles and responsibilities delineated in the charter.

Resilience

The Wikimedia Movement thrives by innovation and experimentation, continually renewing the vision of what a platform for free knowledge can be. The movement pursues effective strategies and practices that can be supported and driven through meaningful metrics-based evidence where possible. The people in the Wikimedia Movement promote a culture of sustainability across its structures and communities.