WikiWomen Bangladesh
WikiWomen Bangladesh (WWBD, for short) is an independent group of female Wikimedians with around 40 members. The group was formed in 2024. Most members are new to the movement and are mainly students. The members range from humanitarian workers to law students, from dentists to marathon runners, from bioinformaticians to animal rights activists, and from photographers to business analysts.
Structure
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Shusmita Nandi Shatabdi, the team lead, oversees the current operations of the WWBD. A team of five coordinators backs her, each overseeing a specific subteam. These coordinators are responsible for planning, organising, and ensuring the proper execution and accountability of their respective subteams' activities. They serve as key facilitators, keeping the team aligned with its overall goals while also addressing the individual needs and dynamics of their subgroups.
For privacy and security reasons, we intentionally withhold the names of the individual team members from the public. This decision is rooted in a commitment to safeguarding the personal identities and well-being of those involved. The team respects the right to anonymity, especially given the sensitive nature of many of the topics and communities they engage with, which can sometimes expose contributors to unwanted attention or risk.
WWBD primarily focuses on small-scale, targeted projects centred on issues relevant to women. These projects aim to amplify the visibility of female experiences, voices, and contributions within the open knowledge movement. Their work addresses the ongoing gender imbalance in public knowledge repositories, where content about women remains significantly underrepresented.
The team's projects vary widely in nature. These initiatives often target specific themes, such as women's health, increasing the number of women in the Bangladeshi open knowledge movement, the achievements of Bangladeshi women in various professional sectors, the representation of female artists, and stories of grassroots women leaders.
In addition to content development, the WWBD team places a strong emphasis on capacity building and community engagement. They regularly organise training sessions, workshops, and mentorship opportunities to help new volunteers, especially women, gain the skills and confidence to become active contributors to open knowledge platforms. These efforts are essential in creating a sustainable and supportive environment where underrepresented voices are not only welcomed but also empowered to lead.