Recommendation 3: Encourage partnerships focusing on knowledge gaps and knowledge equity

Q 1 What is your Recommendation?

In order to create an inclusive ecosystem that everyone feels safe and encouraged to participate in, we recommend that an effort is made to prioritize partnerships focusing on knowledge gaps and that promote knowledge equity. Such focus will foster more inclusivity, tolerance and diversity in the movement, which in turn will encourage a culture of sharing knowledge, skills and practices across the world.

Q 2-1 What assumptions are you making about the future context that led you to make this Recommendation?

As of now, there are huge knowledge gaps in Wikimedia projects. Many of our most celebrated and successful partnerships are focused on well-covered areas. Not everyone is joining us. There is no equity because there is a lot of knowledge outside that we do not reach.

Q 2-2 What is your thinking and logic behind this recommendation?

To be in a place where we can actually give service to everyone in the world in their own language, we need to address not only the "low hanging fruits", but also what's missing, on who is not represented and make a proactive effort to fill in the gaps. While these efforts could be done in a variety of contexts in our movement, we especially want to highlight that partnerships is one important path toward closing existing gaps. It therefore needs to be prioritized. Including missing knowledge will also require working with underrepresented individuals and cultures, so a stress on community health as a joint effort to partnerships is a crucial step for success.

Q 3-1 What will change because of the Recommendation?

The priorities of who we choose to work with, what type of partnerships we choose to pursue or promote and the resources allocated to such efforts.

Q 3-2 Who specifically will be influenced by this recommendation?

Everyone.

Q 5 How does this Recommendation relate to the current structural reality?

While there is some awareness and efforts around the gender gap and other knowledge gaps, such as indigenous communities, it is not a top priority that affects resource allocation, for instance. We want to make sure that proactive steps are taken to make sure that gaps are being dealt with. It is important to note that this does not mean we will stop partnerships with more established partners, but that we will value and encourage efforts around closing gaps, including with established partners.