Open Inclusive Initiatives
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Open Inclusive Initiative addresses content gaps about underrepresented groups, such as black and African women, individuals with disabilities, and health issues within the African context, on Wikimedia projects, open movement, and the internet in general. These minoritized groups face significant disparities in several areas, including the internet.
Gender Disparities[edit]
Although Wikipedia, through the Wikimedia Foundation, works to reduce biases by utilizing a clear writing and editing process that relies on trustworthy, published sources, Wikipedia and, by extension, its sister projects are affected by various biases. These biases lead to gender-based knowledge disparities, the use of stereotypes, and misrepresentations. In fact, a recent Wikimedia study by Perkins et al. (2024) found that the gaps stem from the subjective viewpoints and personal backgrounds of Wikipedia editors, who are mainly white and male, Wikipedia's standard of reliability, "notability" considerations, and gatekeeping practices by the current editors. These gaps inadvertently transfer to other Wikimedia projects, calling for a more diverse pool of editors with a nuanced understanding of these gaps and making strategic efforts to reverse the trend.
Health Gaps[edit]
In relation to health, several health conditions, although present in other parts of the world, manifest differently in Africa. Additionally, some health and medical conditions are peculiar to African women. Research shows that women's health issues have been relegated to obscurity in Wikimedia projects. Wikimedia itself and its advocates acknowledge this health gap and have called for curated initiatives and events to bridge the gap.
Disability[edit]
Directly linked to health is disability issues, another crucial focus area with little attention. Although The Foundation has initiated a few projects, such as the Wiki Science training course, in 2020, this project was limited to disability scholars and healthcare experts to contribute their expertise on disability issues on Wikipedia. In as much as this is a helpful move, the scope limits contributions from the "ordinary" volunteer and has no clear opportunity for contributions from the African perspective.
Capacity Building[edit]
Adding to these problems are the intractable barriers that impede African women's contribution to Wikimedia projects. Although these have been attributed to several factors, as indicated above, the lack of jobs tailored to accommodate systemic challenges such as domestic labor, childbirth, and child-rearing leaves women with little or no time to commit to volunteering endeavors within the Wikimedia community. Hence, providing soft skill and tech skills as part of this initiative would arm women to land comfortable yet accommodating jobs that enable them to live fulfilling lives while providing them the flexibility to contribute to Wikimedia projects, becoming thought leaders and valuable members within the open movement. Putting all together, the Open Inclusive Initiative seeks to address minoritized content gaps and health disparities in lesser-known Wikimedia projects. The initiatives aim to additionally provide African women with soft skills and tech skills, making them relevant in the competitive job market to enable develop personally, professionally, and within the scope of the open movement
Partners[edit]
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Africa Wiki Women -
Wiki Update
