Wikimedia Diversity Conference 2013/Documentation/women-edit

Session: Silvia Stieneker // Women edit - from a small local initiative to a nationwide network

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Abstract

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Wikimedia Germany's programme “Women edit“ seeks to encourage women to actively participate in Wikimedia projects such as Wikipedia, Wikimedia Commons, Wikivoyage. In November 2012, a monthly meet-up for women in Berlin who are interested in editing Wikipedia was initiated. It was soon found that many of the participating women are interested in real-life-contacts with experienced Wikiwomen and other female newbie-editors on a regular basis - it was thus decided to transfer the local idea to other places in Germany. The goal is to establish a nationwide network for women editors, who support each other (online and offline) and tell others that contributing is fun.

Starting point / Insights

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  • Monthly meetup in Berlin for women (in local computer school for women)
  • Open to any woman, can edit whatever they like
  • New articles for Wikipedia
  • Many minor edits
  • New editors for Wikivoyage
  • Women come regularly, bring guests
  • Media interest

It's a social event, not a class! safe space for women (no male guests, no male teachers). Empowerment!

"Wikiwomen" network

Challenges

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  • Find female Wikimedians to offer similar initiatives elsewhere, but it is a challenge
  • Fear that if they offer such thing, they are considered feminist
  • People are busy! don't have time, have jobs (and maybe "jobs" within Wikimedia too, like being admins)
  • Believe gender is not an important category and such efforts are not so effective (or "absolutely useless")
  • Some people do not want to cooperate with German chapter

Ideas

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  • German chapter has not organized edit-a-thon yet
  • Looking for supporters for the project and idea
  • Have partner organizations
  • Barcamp and coffee party at German Wikicon in November 2013
  • January 2014, "Wikiwomen weekend"
  • Project page on German Wikipedia
  • Facebook group with ~150 members

Questions / Next steps recommendations

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Q: Do you have metrics?

A: Write down user names, some have become regular editors, some not

Q: Do follow up? surveys? more info from attendees?

A: Not yet, maybe next year