Event:Heritage, Gender and Open Access

In commemoration of International Women’s Day 2026, this webinar brings together critical reflections on gender, heritage, and visibility within contemporary cultural discourse. The session foregrounds the often underrepresented yet indispensable role of women in shaping, preserving, and interpreting cultural heritage across diverse contexts.

Titled Heritage, Gender and Open Access – Crossroads of Visibility, Access, and Legacy Preservation

The webinar will unfold untold histories and the role of open access platforms for enhanced visibility. The webinar explores the intersections of gender, architecture, and the broader GLAM (Galleries, Libraries, Archives, and Museums) sector. It seeks to examine the structural and historical factors that have contributed to the marginalization of women’s contributions, particularly within heritage and architectural practice, while also highlighting the leadership roles women continue to occupy despite these constraints.

A central focus of this conversation is the potential of open access policies and digital platforms to address issues of invisibility and inequity. By enabling wider participation, documentation, and dissemination of knowledge, these tools present opportunities to amplify women’s voices, recover overlooked histories, and foster a more inclusive and representative heritage landscape.

With a specific lens on Nigeria, the webinar also engages with localized experiences and practices, drawing attention to the ways women are actively driving cultural heritage preservation and redefining narratives within their communities.

This session invites scholars, practitioners, students, and the general public to engage in a timely and necessary dialogue on equity, representation, and the future of heritage in a rapidly evolving digital age.