Wiki Women* Task Force/Nominations/Ravan

Ravan

Primary Wikimedia projects:

Wikipedia, Wikimedia Commons, Wikidata.

Region:

MENA

Language capabilities (language and level of proficiency):

Arabic: Native, English: Professional, Kurdish: Advanced.

Regional experiences:

I am Ravan, a dedicated contributor to the Wikimedia movement and an active editor on Arabic Wikipedia since 2008, with over 980 articles created and more than 22,000 edits to my name. I served as an administrator on Arabic Wikipedia for four years, during which I supported the community and helped foster growth. In 2015, I founded the Iraqi Wikimedians User Group, organizing impactful initiatives such as Wiki Loves Monuments to highlight Iraq’s cultural heritage. I have also conducted and presented more than a dozen workshops and edit-a-thons across the MENA region, empowering new contributors through two educational curriculums I developed specifically for teaching Wikipedia editing. Additionally, I co-founded the WikiWomen Prize in 2016 to enhance content about women on Wikipedia.

In 2015, I had the honor of representing Wikipedia's global volunteer community at the Princess of Asturias Award ceremony in Spain, celebrating the platform’s contributions to free knowledge. Over the years, I have taken on several governance and strategic roles within the movement. As a Board Governance Facilitator in 2021, I worked to ensure the participation of Middle East and North Africa communities in Wikimedia’s decision-making processes, and as a member of the Movement Charter Drafting Committee in 2022, I contributed to shaping the future structure of the Wikimedia movement. I also served on the Affiliations Committee from 2020 to 2021, helping to strengthen global affiliates.

In 2024, I co-founded Wiki for She, an initiative designed to support female contributors to Arabic Wikipedia by providing a collaborative and empowering environment. In the same year, I co-established Wiki for Minorities to promote content about Middle Eastern minorities in a culturally sensitive and impactful manner. With a focus on inclusivity, impact, and sustainability, I remain deeply committed to fostering collaboration, empowering diverse communities, and ensuring that the Wikimedia movement continues to thrive as a platform for free and equitable knowledge.

Personal Statement: “The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why.” ~~ Mark Twain. I believe that life is about making an impact. Therefore, leaving a positive trace wherever I go and in whatever I do is my priority. After all, life is what we make it, always has been, always will be.

Considerations for Personal Statement

Why do you want to join the Wiki Women* Task Force?

I'm eager to join the WikiWomen Collective because I deeply resonate with its mission to foster a supportive and empowering environment for female contributors within the Wikimedia movement. Over the years, I have worked passionately to close the gender gap in Wikipedia by co-founding initiatives such as the WikiWomen Prize in 2016, which encouraged the creation of content about women on Wikipedia. Additionally, as a board member of Wiki for She, I have actively contributed to building a space where women in the MENA region can connect, share knowledge, and develop their skills.

Joining the WikiWomen Collective aligns with my ongoing efforts to amplify women’s voices and stories in the Wikimedia movement and beyond. I believe my experience in community building, content creation, and strategic initiatives can contribute meaningfully to the collective's goals. Moreover, being part of this collective will allow me to learn from and collaborate with like-minded women, fostering a stronger global network dedicated to inclusivity and knowledge equity.

Through this opportunity, I hope to further support the collective’s vision while continuing to advocate for diversity, sustainability, and impactful contributions within the Wikimedia movement.

What specific skills or experiences can you contribute to the Wiki Women* Task Force?

I bring strong mentoring and training skills to the WikiWomen Task Force, honed through years of organizing workshops and edit-a-thons across the MENA region. I have developed two educational curriculums tailored to teaching new contributors how to edit Wikipedia effectively, focusing on empowering participants to create impactful content. My experience co-founding initiatives like the WikiWomen Prize and serving as a board member of Wiki for She demonstrates my ability to support and inspire female contributors in a collaborative environment.

Through these initiatives, I’ve guided countless volunteers in building their skills, understanding Wikimedia principles, and creating content that addresses the gender gap. I am excited to offer my expertise in mentoring, curriculum development, and community engagement to the Task Force, helping to strengthen its mission of empowering women within the Wikimedia movement.

What are your goals for participating in the Wiki Women* Task Force?

My primary goal for participating in the WikiWomen Task Force as a representative of the MENA region is to foster greater inclusion by addressing systemic gaps in participation and content. This includes empowering women in the region to contribute actively to Wikimedia projects and ensuring their voices are heard in shaping knowledge equity. I aim to:

Expand Participation: Leverage my experience mentoring and training new editors to bring more women from the MENA region into the Wikimedia movement. By creating supportive spaces and targeted programs, I intend to lower barriers for female contributors.
Enhance Regional Representation: Advocate for increased content about women from the MENA region, focusing on cultural, historical, and contemporary figures to ensure their stories are represented accurately and inclusively.
Promote Collaboration: Facilitate partnerships and campaigns like the ones I co-founded, such as Wiki for She and Wiki for Minorities, to amplify the collective efforts of female contributors in the region.
Address Cultural Nuances: Develop initiatives that respect the region's unique cultural and social dynamics while promoting inclusivity and gender equity.

Through these goals, I aim to create sustainable systems that empower women to contribute, grow, and lead within the Wikimedia movement, fostering a more inclusive and representative global knowledge ecosystem.

How do you work across diverse group?

I excel at working across diverse groups by fostering open communication, cultural sensitivity, and collaboration. In my role as a Wikimedia Board Governance Facilitator, I mediated discussions across global communities, ensuring inclusivity and alignment. As a member of the MCDC, I effectively bridged diverse perspectives to draft the Movement Charter. My experience organizing workshops in MENA has honed my ability to tailor approaches to different cultural contexts, fostering productive engagement. By focusing on shared goals and respecting unique viewpoints, I consistently build cohesive and impactful teams.

Endorsements

Strong support Ravan is a passionate Wikimedian whose work with WikiWomen will greatly benefit her community and the Wikimedia movement.--Faisal ^talk 23:18, 6 January 2025 (UTC)[reply]

Strong support Almost 16 years as active Wikipedian and Wikimedian. She deserves our support. --Mahmood (talk) 08:09, 8 January 2025 (UTC)[reply]

Strong support She is a highly active member of both the Arabic and global communities. . --روتانا (talk) 20:09, 8 January 2025

Strong support She works on engaging youth in Iraq to volunteer in spreading knowledge. . --‪Ali.tinbo‬ (talk)

Strong support She is a highly active member. She deserves my support.-- Luma.H (talk) 08:17, 9 January 2025 (UTC)[reply]

Strong support She is a Highly active wikimedian in Iraq and the whole MENA Region. Alli Khalil (talk) 17:46, 9 January 2025 (UTC)[reply]