Wikiesfera/Reports/2023
Wikiesfera Grupo de Usuarixs (ESP-WE) received official recognition from the Affiliations Committee on May 9, 2018. This 2024, it has been nine years since its formation as a stable working group in the former municipal culture center, Medialab Prado, in Madrid, Spain. It has also been six years since it became an officially recognized group.
Since its establishment in 2015, Wikiesfera has achieved noteworthy accomplishments in its contributions to Wikipedia and in fostering a feminist community of Wikipedians, gaining recognition as an influential entity, a reference in Spain.
We compile the MOST SIGNIFICANT DATA:
- We have organized 137 editing activities (106 editatonas, 5 campaigns and 26 editatones) in 15 provinces of Spain (Madrid, Zaragoza, Las Palmas, Murcia, Barcelona, Cantabria, Sevilla, Valencia, Córdoba, Huesca, Málaga, Navarra, Pontevedra, Tenerife and Toledo), 4 cities in Ecuador (Quito, Ríobamba, Archidona and Esmeraldas) and 1 city in Portugal (Lisbon), thanks to more than 87 institutions and public and private organizations that have wanted to collaborate with us.
- In these meetings, supported by public and private institutions, especially in the educational and cultural fields (universities, cultural centers, libraries...), about 2,000 people have participated in the collaborative creation of about 2,000 articles, with a special focus on the publication of biographies of women and articles on women's health. In addition, we have had about 60 guest female experts in different areas of knowledge who have helped us to contextualize the editatonas.
- In our activities we have about 50 permanent active editors and dozens who participate more sporadically with whom we have had more than 320 face-to-face meetings and about 110 virtual meetings, in which we have given training to more than 850 Wikipedians.
- We coordinate through a mailing list with more than 260 people and a Telegram group with 55 participants. In addition, we have developed a database with about 1,000 registered members, who receive our monthly newsletter of activities, and to which we must add about 2,600 followers of our social networks (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube).
- Our presence in local, national and international media already counts with more than 300 news, reports and interviews, both in the written press (216), radio and podcast (53), and television and video (41).
The following report shows the most relevant achievements of Wikiesfera during the last year, from July 2023 to June 2024, although a detailed list of activities can also be found in this link.
Strategic lines
editIn 2024, Wikiesfera has defined the following strategic lines: Gender, GLAM, Memory, and DEI, all framed within our feminist vision of the project. This approach is part of a structural transformation driven by funding from the Wikimedia Foundation, reflecting our commitment to inclusion and diversity in the realm of free knowledge, marking a significant turning point in our development and impact capacity. This structural change underscores our evolution towards greater professionalism and depth in critical issues.
Gender
editWikiesfera has evolved its approach to the gender gap in Wikimedia, expanding its scope beyond just creating biographies of women. We are focusing on generating diverse content related to women, such as artworks and women's health topics, and have started publishing in-depth analyses to delve into structural issues in these areas. Additionally, we have used campaigns and events to improve community engagement and retention, applying more effective strategies to involve and keep our editors active. We have also joined several initiatives promoted by other like-minded organizations, such as the 11F initiative, UN Women's #NoExcuse campaign to eradicate violence against women (FB, LK) and the European abortion rights initiative, My Voice, My Choice.
GLAM
editAlthough Wikiesfera has been involved with libraries and archives since its inception, it is in 2024 that our GLAM line of work (galleries, libraries, archives, and museums) has been solidified, focusing on culture and women's visibility in art and culture. This is reflected in projects like the Wikiproyecto Circo and collaborations with entities such as State Archives and Medialab Matadero. Through these partnerships and editatonas, Wikiesfera promotes content creation and community participation, ranging from art to citizen science, establishing collaborations with numerous cultural and scientific institutions.
Memory
editFor Wikiesfera and its community of editors, Historical Memory is a central theme. This line of work focuses on highlighting and documenting recent Spanish history on Wikipedia, with special attention to women's contributions and experiences, such as the teachers of the Republic, and significant spaces like women's prisons. This approach aims to document the complexity of Spain's recent history, highlighting the fight for justice and reparation, and recognizing stories of resistance and resilience, to provide a more complete and equitable representation in the digital space.
DEI
editWikiesfera's Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) line aims to transform Wikipedia into a more diverse and inclusive space, adequately representing marginalized communities and ensuring that their voices and perspectives are heard. Focusing particularly on lesbian women within the LGBT community, Wikiesfera strives to increase their visibility and highlight their contributions, thus addressing the double invisibility they face due to gender and sexual orientation. This effort is part of a structured approach to enrich representation and participation on Wikipedia.
Meetings
editLa Fabulosa
editThroughout the 2023-24 academic year, we've continued our weekly gatherings at La Fabulosa bookstore, a vibrant cultural space that has enthusiastically hosted our initiatives since September 2022. This central location not only facilitates accessibility for those interested in Wikiesfera but also serves as the venue for various activities, such as editatonas and talks. We celebrated Wikipedia's birthday here in January 2024. To contribute to the sustainability of La Fabulosa, in addition to paying a competitive rent for its location (in the center of Madrid), Wikiesfera has successfully negotiated an appealing discount. This discount allows us to provide each participant in our editatonas with a book relevant to the theme of the activity, creating an engaging and enriching experience for all involved.
Zoom
editIn addition to our weekly in-person meetings, we hold two virtual meetings each month to maintain engagement with those who have participated in person. This helps us stay connected with Wikipedians outside Madrid who may not have a local group. The digital space is ideal for sharing tools and knowledge about other Wikimedia Movement projects with those eager to learn more.
In numbers
editOur sessions in 2023-24, including 38 in-person meetings with 247 participants and 18 virtual gatherings with 115 participants, predominantly women, are designed to cater to individual interests and needs. These range from learning article editing to discussing progress and challenges. Wikiesfera continues to support Wikipedians in their learning journey, fostering an open and friendly community environment.
At Wikiesfera, we are dedicated to supporting Wikipedians in their learning journey and introduction to the Wikimedia universe. Our open and welcoming meeting space is fostered by a close-knit community of volunteers, ready to provide guidance and assistance throughout the process.
Activities
editEditatonas
editSince 2015, Wikiesfera has been actively combating the gender gap in Wikipedia through a series of editatonas centered on various topics. These activities serve the purpose of raising awareness about the gender disparity issue while also striving to encourage more female editors to join the project. With a playful and engaging approach, the meetings (totaling more than 100 since the inception of Wikiesfera) aim to create an experiential learning environment. The emphasis lies on the participants enjoying the experience of successfully publishing an article, which acts as a catalyst for them to learn how to edit and publish more content. Collaboration is highly encouraged during these gatherings, fostering group work for data localization and collaborative development of the text.
During the second half of 2023 and the first half of 2024, a total of 22 editatonas were held, with 18 being face-to-face gatherings in 8 Spanish cities (Madrid, Zaragoza, Barcelona, Murcia, Navarra, Pontevedra, Sevilla y Toledo) and 4 being virtual events. These meetings collectively involved 257 editors (93% women) who contributed to the creation of 265 new articles. The continued success of these initiatives reflects Wikiesfera's ongoing commitment to making Wikipedia more inclusive and diverse.
2023
edit- September 22, 2023 | Editatona de mujeres de la Cárcel de Ventas #22S. Fundación Rosa de Luxemburgo. Centro Cultural La Corrala (Madrid)
- October 6, 2023 | Editatona de científicas LGBT #6O 2023. "Queerizando la ciencia". PRISMA Ciencia. Planetario de Pamplona (Pamplona)
- October 20, 2023 | Editatona de pódcast feministas #20O. Medialab Matadero (Madrid)
- October 26, 2023 | Editatona científicas árabes. Universidad Rey Juan Carlos. Casa Árabe (Madrid)
- October 30, 2023 | Editatona de autoras de terror. Librería La Fabulosa (Madrid)
- November 11, 2023 | Editatona de líderes aragonesas #11N. LAAAB · Laboratorio de Aragón [Gobierno] Abierto (Virtual)
- December 16, 2023 | Editatona #SeAcabó #16D. Medialab Matadero (Virtual)
2024
edit- February 12, 2024 | Editatona de mujeres STEM #12F 2024. Librería La Fabulosa (Madrid)
- February 16, 2024 | Editatona de aragonesas STEM #16F. LAAAB · Laboratorio de Aragón [Gobierno] Abierto (Zaragoza)
- February 17, 2024 | Editatona de investigadoras #17F. Ministerio de Cultura. Archivo Histórico Nacional (Madrid)
- February 28, 2024 | Editatona de ingenieras #28F. Colegio Oficial de Ingenieros de Telecomunicación (Madrid)
- March 6, 2024 | Editatona de mujeres juristas #6M. Ilustre Colegio de la Abogacía de Madrid (Madrid)
- March 14, 2024 | Editatona de mujeres STEM-AMIT #14M. Asociación de Mujeres Investigadoras y Tecnólogas (AMIT). Universidad de Sevilla (Sevilla)
- March 20, 2024 | II Editatona de investigadoras #20M (virtual). Ministerio de Cultura. Madrid (Virtual)
- April 13, 2024 | III Editatona de investigadoras #13A. Ministerio de Cultura. Archivo de la Corona de Aragón (Barcelona)
- April 27, 2024 | Editatona de murcianas extraordinarias #27A. Centro Cultural de El Carmen (Murcia)
- May 8, 2024 | IV Editatona de investigadoras #8M. Ministerio de Cultura (Virtual)
- May 18, 2024 | Editatona de obras de arte de mujeres #18M. Art+Feminism. La Fabulosa (Madrid)
- May 25, 2024 | Editatona de periodistas palestinas #25M. Sindicato de Periodistas de Madrid (Virtual)
- June 1, 2024 | Editatona de gallegas relevantes #1J. A Morada Cooperativa (Vigo)
- June 8, 2024 | Editatona de mujeres nobles #8J. Ministerio de Cultura. Museo Histórico de la Nobleza (Toledo)
- June 15, 2024 | Editatona de dominicanas relevantes #15J. Fundación InteRed y AECID. La Parcería (Madrid)
Gallery
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Editatona SeAcabo (Women Football)
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Editatona de autoras de terror (Women Terror Authors)
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Editatona de pódcast feministas (Feminist Podcasts)
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Editatona de científicas árabes (Arab Women Scientists)
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Editatona de ingenieras (Women Engineers)
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Editatona de juristas (Women Jurists)
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Editatona de mujeres STEM-AMIT (Women in STEM)
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Editatona de murcianas (Women of Murcia)
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Editatona de obras de arte (Art Works by Women)
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Editatona de gallegas (Women of Galicia)
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Editatona de dominicanas (Women of Dominican Republic)
Campaigns
editThematic campaigns are a new format of online and asynchronous activity we launched in 2024, aiming to continue generating content to close the gender gap and encourage active participation within our existing community beyond in-person meetings. Each Wikiesfera campaign focuses on a theme aligned with our strategic axes and runs for about two weeks. We curate a list of articles to translate, including biographies, organizations, key concepts, and other cultural elements. We use Wikimedia's Event Registration tool for sign-ups and centralizing information, and communicate the campaign through our newsletter, Telegram chat, social media, and our Spanish Wikipedia page. Metrics are collected via PE Dashboard and Event Metrics.
So far, we have carried out 5 campaigns:
- February 2024 | Women in STEM #11F (11/02-18/02) REPORT. Online
- March 2024 | BBC Women #8M (8/03-18/03) REPORT. Online
- April 2024 | Circus Women 20A 2024 (15/04-30/04) REPORT. Online
- May 2024 | Palestinian Women 2024 (13/05-28/05) REPORT. With Wikimedians of the Levant. Online
- June 2024 | Notable Lesbians 2024 (14/06-28/06) REPORT. With Wikiproyecto:LGBT. Online
In these five campaigns, 118 people participated (an average of 23 per campaign), with 83% being women. A total of 431 articles were published (13 new and 416 translations) related to women's biographies and topics. These figures represent exponential growth in content production by our community. While edit-a-thons have a limited time for article creation, campaigns offer a broader time frame for collaboration, maintaining motivation, and proving successful. What began as an experiment with the new event registration tool has become a powerful ally for our community.
Beyond the numbers, the positive reception of these campaigns from the Wikiesfera editor community stands out. Not only due to high participation but also because of the enthusiasm expressed by our colleagues. Providing a list of articles on interesting themes has encouraged many to edit independently, not just during edit-a-thons or meetings. By coordinating these efforts over a set period, these campaigns enhance editor autonomy and expand the feminist community around Wikiesfera.
We plan to continue these campaigns, introducing a new theme each month, even through summer. The campaigns also offer a chance to engage the broader existing Wikipedia community, not previously linked to Wikiesfera, in creating content to close the gender gap.
Talks and workshops
editOver the past year, Wikiesfera has been actively engaged in sharing knowledge through talks, workshops, and round table discussions focusing on content gaps in Wikipedia. In the current academic year, 2023-24, our group has received invitations from 11 diverse institutions across various fields, including education, culture, and technology, seeking our participation in these valuable interventions.
Education
edit- The Instituto de las Mujeres (Spanish Women's Institute) invited Encina Villanueva to give a talk at the Feria de Educación AULA, called “El poder de Wikipedia: Leer la historia, pero también escribirla.”
- The Subdirección General de los Archivos Estatales del Ministerio de Cultura (State Archives General Subdirection of the Ministry of Culture) invited us to participate at the “Redes Sociales en Archivos Estatales” event to talk about Wikipedia as a tool to promote knowledge.
- The Archivo de la Corona de Aragón (Archive of the Crown of Aragon) contacted us to participate in the presentation of “En género: Mujeres Investigadoras y Editatona” for aspiring members to the Cuerpos Facultativos de Archiveros y de Ayudantes de Archivos.
Culture
edit- Fundación Rosa de Luxemburgo to explain the importance of documenting the history of women in spaces of memory within the First Public History Conference on women's prisons during Franco's regime held at the La Corrala Cultural Center in Madrid.
- Library of Castilla-La Mancha in Toledo to participate with the presentation entitled “Fighting together the gender gap in Wikipedia”. Within the cycle “Women's Voices” (video).
- Ministry of Culture to talk about Wikipedia and Wikiesfera in the course of citizen labs for State Archives.
- Intermediae, a cultural space in Matadero Madrid to participate in the discussion around the book ”Free Culture and the City: Hackers, Commoners and Neighbors in Madrid, 1997-2017”.
- Espacio de Igualdad Berta Cáceres in Orcasitas (Madrid) to give a talk entitled “Editing in Wikipedia with a gender perspective”.
- Asociación de Informadores Cinematográficos de España (AICE) to participate in the Campus de Cine y Series “La inmortal” at the Filmoteca de Zaragoza with the presentation Wikipedia and film journalism (video).
Technology
edit- Madrid Innovation Lab to participate in the presentation of the book "Patrimonio Digital" by Pedro Ortega (video).
- Asociación de Mujeres Investigadoras y Tecnólogas (AMIT) to participate in the round table “Dialoguing on scientific dissemination” at the annual AMIT Andalucía meeting at the Casa de la Ciencia in Seville.
Projects
editMujeres investigadoras
editIn January 2024, the Subdirectorate General of State Archives of the Spanish Ministry of Culture contacted Wikiesfera to make visible on Wikipedia a research they had carried out between 2020 and 2023. The project Mujeres Investigadoras en los Archivos Estatales (1900-1970) (Women Researchers in the State Archives) is a pioneering initiative in Spanish archival science, focused on highlighting the role of women in historical research. It brings together the efforts of seven centers and offers access to documents that reveal women's contribution to history and science, and continues to expand, serving as a valuable resource and tribute to women researchers.
From Wikiesfera, we saw that this project and the desire of the Ministry of Culture to make visible the biographies of so many women in Wikipedia aligned with our goal of reducing the gender gap. With this goal in mind, we proposed a series of editatonas with archival staff but also open to the public. For its part, the Ministry of Culture offered the spaces in which to hold these meetings: the National Historical Archive in Madrid, the Archive of the Crown of Aragon in Barcelona, the Historical Archive of the Nobility in Toledo, among others. In addition, as part of this relationship, Wikiesfera editors were able to enjoy exclusive visits to the archives.
Thus, in February 2024 we signed a collaboration agreement with the Ministry of Culture to develop cultural activities in the archives, centers and services attached to the Subdirectorate General of State Archives. This is the first agreement of its kind that we have entered into to promote the enrichment, preservation and dissemination of Spanish bibliographic and documentary heritage, and we are very pleased to establish this important alliance that will have an impact on all the agents involved: public institutions, the publishing community, Wikimedia projects and the general public, who will have free access to this information.
So far, and within this framework of collaboration, we have carried out 5 editatonas in which 86 people have participated and 83 articles have been published:
- 1 | I Editatona of Women Researchers #17F | Archivo Histórico Nacional (Madrid)
- 2 | II Editatona of Women Researchers #20M (virtual)
- 3 | III Editatona of Women Researchers #13A | Archivo de la Corona de Aragón (Barcelona)
- 4 | IV Editatona of Women Researchers #8M (virtual)
- 5 | Editatona of Noble Women #8J | Archivo Histórico de la Nobleza (Toledo)
Gallery
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I Editatona of Women Researchers | Archivo Histórico Nacional (Madrid)
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II Editatona of Women Researchers (virtual)
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III Editatona of Women Researchers | Archivo de la Corona de Aragón (Barcelona).
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Archive images at the III Editatona of Women Researchers.
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IV Editatona of Women Researchers (virtual).
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Editatona of Noble Women | Archivo HIstórico de la Nobleza (Toledo).
In addition, since the first activity we have had the collaboration of a renowned Spanish illustrator, Carla Berrocal, who wanted to participate in these activities by developing several portraits of women researchers of which there were images but were not free of rights.
Finally, the colleagues of Viquidones UPF, after meeting us in the III editatona in Barcelona, were encouraged to translate some of the articles of women researchers that did not yet exist in the Viquipèdia in Catalan.
Women's Health
editFrom Wikiesfera, we believe it is essential that the information on women's health in Wikipedia is properly developed in a way that guarantees the right to access evidence-based information around a content that has historically contained biases. Therefore, in 2024 we have shaped a project around Women's Health. In this regard, with the aim of promoting a better understanding of abortion rights in Spain, in March 2024 we launched a campaign to highlight abortion-related information on Wikipedia. We also did so coinciding with the anniversary of the Organic Law on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Voluntary Interruption of Pregnancy, which was 14 years old since its approval in 2010.
We believe that documenting issues such as abortion also helps to raise awareness of the importance of adequate public reproductive health services, strengthens the defense of rights to bodily autonomy, reduces stigma and misinformation, and encourages informed and constructive debate. All together it empowers women to make informed decisions about our health and contributes to the improvement of public policies. This project will continue over time as there is much work to be done to close the gap around women's health. Therefore, in addition to focusing on the generation of content, we will continue to provide resources for dissemination through our communication channels (social networks, blog...) and participation in outreach activities.
Aspasia (WikiAragón)
editIn 2020, Wikiesfera took on the coordination of the editatonas for the Aspasia Project, an initiative promoted by the Laboratory of the General Directorate of Open Government and Social Innovation (LAAAB) of the Government of Aragon, in collaboration with the Aragonese Institute for Women (IAM). The primary objective of the project was to spotlight noteworthy women from Aragon in various domains on Wikipedia, while also encouraging the involvement of new female editors who could join the working group.
Since then, WikiAragón has already completed its third year with a team that continues to grow. During this academic year, the group has promoted the development of a Guide to edit in Wikipedia, and a series of publications of Extraordinary Women where relevant content of these female referents in different fields is made visible in a gamified way. With them and from the LAAAB we have organized two more editatonas during the course, one in November 2023 on Aragonese women leaders and another in February 2024 on STEM Aragonese women, in addition to the previous 10.
Historical Memory
editIn 2023, Wikiesfera actively participated in events related to Spain's Historical Memory, focusing on women's experiences during Franco's regime and significant places of female memory. In September, we contributed to the First Public History Conference on women's prisons during Franco's regime, highlighting the Ventas prison. As part of this conference, we organized an Editatona of women from the Ventas Prison and later gave a talk on the use of Wikipedia as a fundamental tool for memory. Subsequently, in December, we were at the presentation of the project “Amiga date cuenta” about women's places of memory, by the feminist organization Herstoricas, at the Ateneo La Maliciosa in Madrid. Finally, in January 2024, we also participated in a tribute to the victims of the Black Week organized at the Ateneo La Maliciosa in Madrid.
Wikimedia Movement
editOver the past year, we have strengthened our partnerships with other Wikimedia Movement groups as well as our presence at meetings, either as attendees or speakers.
Alliances
editBelow, we mention the Wikimedia Movement groups with which we have established some kind of alliance or have collaborated with during the last year.
- Wikimedia Portugal
- Wikieditoras LX
- Mais Teoria da História na Wiki
- Muj(lh)eres latinoamericanas en Wikimedia
- Art+Feminism
- Wikimedia LGBT+
- Wikiproyecto LGBT
- Wikimedians of Levant
- Viquidones UPF
- Wikimedia Foundation
Presence in events
editThis year, Wikiesfera has been present at several international meetings of the Wikimedia movement.
In August 2023, two of our colleagues attended Wikimania 2023 organized by Wikimedia ESEAP in Singapore. In addition, Maria Sefidari was the keynote speaker at the WikiWomen Summit (video). In September 2023, we attended the Wikidata Days 2023 organized by Wikimedia Portugal in Lisbon (Portugal), where we also participated in the Wiki Loves Música Portuguesa hackathon. The following month, we participated in the Wikiwomen Camp held in India. During the same, Isa Zapico made the presentation Participation and Engagement within the session oriented to Event Organizers to share our learnings on community building and encourage the participation of volunteers.
In April 2024, we were at the WikiCon Portugal 2024 organized in Évora (Portugal) by Wikimedia Portugal and where we had the opportunity to meet with colleagues from other groups and organisations such as Wiki Editoras LX, Mais Teoria da História na Wiki, Wikimedia Spain, Bantumen, Ubuntu Portugal, D3 Direitos Digitais or the National Library of Portugal. That same month we participated in the Wikimedia Summit 2024 organized by Wikimedia Deutschland in Berlin (see chronicle by Patricia Horrillo) organized by the Wikimedia Foundation and Wikimedia Deutschland. During the event, we were able to establish alliances and meet with other groups such as Wikimedia of the Levant, Wikimedia LGBT+, Whose Knowledge, Art & Feminism, Black Lunch Table or Les sans pagEs.
Gallery
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Wikimania 2023 (Singapore)
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WikiCon Portugal 2024 (Évora)
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Wikimedia Summit 2024 (Berlin)
Collaborations
editIn addition, we have supported and collaborated in different campaigns of the Wikimedia movement and actively participated in activities of different groups.
- In March 2024, we were one of the 21 Spanish and Portuguese-speaking groups that promoted the international campaign ¡Alto! Mujeres haciendo historia (Stop! Women Making History) held on the occasion of International Women's Day. This initiative aimed to reduce the gender gap in the Wikimedia projects in Spanish and Portuguese to make visible women who have fought for human rights. Here you can read the chronicle of the campaign. That same month, we also got involved in the Celebrate Women campaign promoted by the Wikimedia Foundation.
- In April, we signed the Joint Statement on Palestine along with 26 other Wikimedia movement groups. That month, we also held a productive working session with the Wiki Editoras LX and Mais Teoria da História na Wiki partners to advance strategies for equity. We also got involved in the process of creating the Movement's Charter and the Global Council. On the other hand, during the III Editatona of women researchers in Barcelona we met the colleagues of Viquidones UPF and there was born a collaboration for this group to translate into Catalan the articles of women researchers that we had created in the project with State Archives that did not yet exist in the Viquipèdia.
- In May, Patricia Horrillo became one of the trainers of the course Capacitando mujeres para construir Wikimedia juntas, the second didactic program designed to train event organizers organized by Muj(lh)eres latinoamericanas en Wikimedia.
- In June, as part of our Women's Health project, Maria Sefidari was one of the speakers at the Let's Connect: Spotlight on Women's health in Wikimedia Projects where she shared her experience with Visibilizando el aborto en Wikipedia (Making abortion visible on Wikipedia) with Dr. Stellah Bosiro-Otieno, from the Africa Center for Health Systems and Gender Justice, and Netha Hussain, from WikiProject Women's Health.
- Also in June, we participated in the Mais Mulheres 2024 campaign promoted by the Mais Teoria da História na Wiki project. In addition to collaborating with its dissemination, our colleague Isa Zapico was the trainer of the workshop Translating women's biographies, for which we also curated the list of articles to work on.
- From Wikiesfera we have been developing LGBT visibility activities since 2019. To reinforce this positioning, we regularly collaborate with the group of people working on the Wikiproyecto:LGBT. Thus, in June 2024, we became one of the collaborating groups of the Mes del Orgullo (Pride Month) campaign promoted by Wikimedia LGBT+ and Wikiproject LGBT.
Citizen innovation
editWikiesfera continues to be present in citizen innovation circles, and we made a presentation of the project in January 2024 within the Impronta Granada-Citizen Science Meeting organized by the University of Granada. On the other hand, some members of the group have participated in a call for projects on the memory of the Dehesa de la Villa carried out by Espacios Comunes Lorenzana, in the neighborhood of Tetuán (Madrid). The objective of this initiative was to bring together neighbors of the area to work on the memory of the Dehesa from different orientations. What our colleagues have achieved has been the creation and improvement of Wikipedia articles of this area.
In addition, Wikiesfera has participated in the #CAPdeCAPs virtual meetings organized by the IC Collaboratory. This call was a meeting space to share theoretical frameworks and practical experiences, formats and processes, concerns and intuitions about Communities of Learning and Practice (CAPs). Finally, in May 2024 Wikiesfera was selected as one of the projects of the call for the X Encuentro Cultura y Ciudadanía organized by the Ministry of Culture, which will take place in September of this year.
Communication
editNewsletter
editSince 2023, we send out the Wikiesfera Newsletter the last week of each month so that registrants receive information about the events we organize in the following weeks. In addition, we include the chronicles of our past activities as well as information about our weekly meetings, so that anyone can join when it is easier for them.
This 2024, seeing the weight that the newsletter has among our community with about 1,000 subscribers, we decided to professionalize it using the MailChimp tool for a better design, opening control and database management. With this change, we have also been encouraged to include information about Wikimedia Movement events and the analysis articles we have started to publish this year.
In addition to the mailing, the information about events and meetings is subsequently published with the label newsletters in the News section of the blog of the Wikiesfera website to facilitate its dissemination among those who are not subscribed to the newsletter.
Mailing list and Telegram
editThe Wikiesfera mailing list, created in 2015, initially facilitated official communications and allowed an internal exchange between users, where they shared doubts and topics of interest. Since the introduction of the newsletter, this list has specialized in sharing articles for review and as a forum to resolve doubts. With the opening of the Telegram group in 2023, the latter has gained relevance for these functions. Although we will continue to use both channels, as the mailing list provides a quieter environment and not everyone uses Telegram.
Social networks
editDuring the last year, we have focused on unifying the image of Wikiesfera in our social networks. Also, knowing that our community uses the newsletter as the main way to be informed about the activities we organize, we decided to have fewer publications on social networks but to serve as a reinforcement to what is published in the newsletter.
In this last course, Wikiesfera has maintained its official Facebook page, a Twitter account, and YouTube channel, where we are uploading videos of interest to our community, such as expert presentations. However, where we have experienced the greatest movement and increase in followers is in the latest networks we have opened: the Instagram account and the LinkedIn account. As of June 30, 2024, the total number of Wikiesfera followers is 2,715 distributed in this way: 1,071 on Twitter, 639 on Facebook, 633 on Instagram, 307 on LinkedIn and 65 subscribers on the Youtube channel.
In addition, in May 2024, La Dudoteca digital space that is part of Fundación Maldita proposed Patricia Horrillo to participate to answer questions about Wikipedia and the Wikimedia Movement both in written and video form in their social networks IG and TikTok. Appearing on a channel of young people like TikTok was something we wanted to experiment with and we hope to continue collaborating in this way in order to reach other audiences and help to make what we do better known.
Wikimedia Community
editAnother of the purposes of this year in terms of communication was to create spaces to show our activities within the community of Wikipedians. In this way, we created the Wikiesfera page within Wikipedia and we included links to our monthly newsletters, where the calls for the activities we promote each month are detailed.
Analysis articles
editThis year, we wanted to go a step further in terms of content published from Wikiesfera. Beyond the news of the month, the chronicles of our participation in Wikimedia Movement events and the calls for activities, we wanted to reflect on issues that we consider important for us and for our community. Thus, we have published several analyses related to Wikipedia from a feminist perspective:
- ¿Por qué no vemos a las mujeres que están en Wikipedia? (Why don't we see the Women who are in Wikipedia?) by Isa Zapico
- Visibilizando el aborto en España en Wikipedia (Visibilizing Abortion in Spain in Wikipedia) by María Sefidari
- La visibilidad de las lesbianas en Wikipedia (Visibility of Lesbians in Wikipedia) by Encina Villanueva and Celia Hernández
Press Clipping
editNumerous activities orchestrated by Wikiesfera have received notable coverage across local, national, and international media platforms. These include written press (newspapers and digital media), radio and podcasts, as well as television and video appearances. We diligently maintain a comprehensive press clipping archive since 2015, which now boasts over 300 news articles, reports, and interviews.
This year, it is worth mentioning the article published by the British newspaper The Guardian in June. The journalist Ashifa Kassam contacted us interested in the work we do and wanted to come to one of our editatonas. She came to the Editatona of women's artwork #18M that we organized with Art + Feminism at Librería La Fabulosa in Madrid and a few weeks later she published ‘We’re writing history’: Spanish women tackle Wikipedia’s gender gap. The impact of this publication has been remarkable, not only because of the influence on other international media in Greece, Poland or China that have contributed to the visibility of Wikiesfera outside our borders, but also because of the recognition we have felt that our fight against the gender gap in Wikipedia, shared by other groups of the Wikimedia Movement such as Whose Knowledge? or Les sans pagEs, among others.
Below, you will find a detailed compilation of press (37), radio (5), and television (3) appearances spanning the period from July 2023 to June 2024:
Newspapers and digital media
edit- 18-09-2023 | ElDiario.es | Academia y sociedad civil se sientan a trabajar juntos en Lavapiés sobre la memoria de la cárcel de mujeres de Ventas.
- 18-09-2023 | Tartalo | Wikipedia y el patrimonio cultural. Entrevista de Pedro Ortega.
- 20-09-2023 | Público | La web de la Cárcel de mujeres de Ventas cancelada por Almeida vuelve a la carga.
- 24-09-2023 | Público | Patricia Horrillo: "Si desconoces la existencia de una parte de la historia, es difícil que te intereses por ella".
- 27-09-2023 | Toledo Diario | Wikiesfera llega a Toledo para “combatir la brecha de género en Wikipedia”, donde solo el 15% de las biografías son de mujeres.
- 27-09-2023 | Emprendedores | 10 guías de aprendizaje que potencian el emprendimiento temprano.
- 31-01-2024 | ElDiario.es | Vecinos de Tetuán y la Dehesa de la Villa se organizan para conservar su memoria colaborativamente.
- 22-02-2024 | Ilustre Colegio de la Abogacía de Madrid | I SEMANA DE LA IGUALDAD ICAM | El ICAM organiza del 4 al 8 de marzo su mayor evento jurídico dedicado a promover la igualdad real.
- 27-02-2024 | ElDiario.es | Dibujada, en Wikipedia, como comunal…siete proyectos sobre la Dehesa de la Villa a los que estás invitado a participar.
- 6-03-2024 | Público | El colectivo Wikiesfera documenta por primera vez la realidad autonómica de los abortos en España en la Wikipedia.
- 7-03-2024 | El País | La abogacía madrileña rescata del olvido a grandes pioneras del mundo jurídico.
- 11-04-2024 | Europa Press | La IV del Campus La Inmortal de cine y series traerá a los cineastas Pablo Berger y Clara Roquet a Zaragoza.
- 21-04-2024 | MujerPower | Patricia Horrillo fundó Wikiesfera, un espacio de formación y desarrollo en torno a las ediciones de Wikipedia.
- 26-04-2024 | ElDiario.es | Voces vecinales, dibujos, Wikipedia, comunal y vigilantes del suelo: 5 proyectos ciudadanos sobre la Dehesa de la Villa.
- 3-06-2024 | El Faro de Vigo | ‘Wikieditoras’ para visibilizar a gallegas relevantes.
- 6-06-2024 | La Cerca | El Archivo Histórico de la Nobleza de Toledo propone visitas guiadas a su sede este viernes.
- 7-06-2024 | InfoNorte Digital | El poder de "Estar".
- 8-06-2024 | ABC | Una maratón de edición para Wikipedia en Toledo crea contenido sobre mujeres de la nobleza.
- 8-06-2024 | Infobae | Una maratón de edición para Wikipedia en Toledo crea contenido sobre mujeres de la nobleza.
- 8-06-2024 | La Vanguardia | Una maratón de edición para Wikipedia en Toledo crea contenido sobre mujeres de la nobleza.
- 9-06-2024 | Heraldo de Aragón | La Inmortal trae a Zaragoza una semana de proyecciones y charlas.
- 10-06-2024 | Agencia EFE | Una maratón de edición para Wikipedia en Toledo crea contenido sobre mujeres de la nobleza.
- 10-06-2024 | Diario de Zaragoza | Inaugurado el Campus de Cine y Series ‘La Inmortal’ en la Filmoteca de Zaragoza.
- 10-06-2024 | Zaragoza Noticias | Este lunes comienza el Campus de Cine y Series "La Inmortal" con Aitor Luna y Martín Cuervo en la sesión inaugural.
- 12-06-2024 | The Guardian | ‘We’re writing history’: Spanish women tackle Wikipedia’s gender gap.
- 12-06-2024 | El Periódico de Aragón | Patricia Horrillo en la Inmortal: "Yo reivindico a las cualquiera".
- 12-06-2024 | Marie Claire | Wikipedia de mujeres: grupos de mujeres de todo el mundo están reescribiendo la historia a través del lente de la igualdad de género.
- 12-06-2024 | Neolaia | "Haciendo historia": las mujeres se enfrentan a la desigualdad de género en Wikipedia.
- 12-06-2024 | Andalucía Información | Una maratón de edición para Wikipedia en Toledo crea contenido sobre mujeres de la nobleza.
- 13-06-2024 | EuroWeekly News | Who I am to write history?
- 14-06-2024 | Protagon | Las mujeres luchan por cerrar la brecha de género en Wikipedia.
- 15-06-2024 | Woman TOC | España: "Estamos haciendo historia", dicen las mujeres detrás de Wikiesfera, que pretende solucionar las desigualdades de género en Wikipedia.
- 15-06-2024 | iWeekly | ¿Qué pueden hacer las mujeres para eliminar la desigualdad de género de Wikipedia?
- 17-06-2024 | Junta de Castilla y León | Wikiesfera in Actualidad Mujer. Consejería de Familia e Igualdad de Oportunidades. Dirección General de la Mujer.
- 19-06-2024 | Wysokie Obcasy | Las españolas corrigen Wikipedia: "Muy pocas mujeres en ella".
- 24-06-2024 | Cabinet of Delights | The Wikiesfera Women.
- 25-06-2024 | Prisma Igualdad | Mención de Wikiesfera después de la editatona que desarrollamos en Vigo.
- 27-06-2024 | The Optimist daily | Bridging the wiki gender gap.
Radio and podcasts
edit- 25-10-2023 | Cadena SER | Mención de la editatona de pódcast feministas en la sección de Todo por la radio del programa La Ventana.
- 12-03-2024 | Laika | #10 Conversaciones LAIKA | MJ Cachón entrevista a Patricia Horrillo: Inspiración, Wikipedia y Feminismo.
- 20-03-2024 | Radio del Principado de Asturias | Entrevista a Isa Zapico en el informativo Asturias Hoy de la RPA
- 17-06-2024 | Aragón Radio | Entrevista a Kani Cubo sobre Aspasia en "La Cadiera": Espacios públicos con nombre de mujer.
Television and video
edit- 31-08-2023 | Radio Nacional de España | Participated in Wikiverso (WMES) on Gente Despierta
- 19-10-2023 | Maldita | Interview about Wikipedia at Maldita Twitchería.
- 7-03-2024 | RTVE | Las escritoras de Wikipedia: un grupo de mujeres para quebrar la brecha de género en la enciclopedia.
- 8-03-2024 | Laika | Entrevista de MJ Cachón, directora SEO de Laika, a Patricia Horrillo, fundadora de Wikiesfera, en las #ConversacionesLAIKA.
- 23-06-2024 | RTVE 24h. | Mujeres en la Wikipedia en Objetivo Igualdad.
Governance and Funding
editGovernance
editAfter incorporating, this year we have made progress in strengthening our governance and developing the necessary infrastructure to improve participation, decision making and enforcement. We are aware that we represent an exception within the Wikimedia Movement in that we have a majority female community, which underscores the importance of implementing effective systems of transparency, accountability and participation, always from a feminist perspective and critical of the exploitation of volunteerism.
In line with our feminist and participatory commitment, we have a Council of Wise Women, composed of twelve women with extensive experience in Wikipedia and active within Wikiesfera. This council, in close collaboration with the steering group, approves the strategic and organizational plans, as well as the activity and financial reports that are presented periodically, reflecting our commitment to transparency and the active participation of our community.
To increase transparency, we have improved our communication channels, as evidenced by the success of our newsletter, and we continue to encourage more informed and effective participation. In this line, we have created a specific page on Wikipedia in Spanish about Wikiesfera that includes our reports, past activities and future activities, so that the rest of the community can also keep abreast of what we do as well as participate in our activities. In addition, to reinforce the safety and good health of our community in all the spaces, both physical and virtual, that we share, we have developed our own Friendly Space Policy.
At the international level, Wikiesfera has continued to be involved in the strategic processes of the Wikimedia Movement, preparing our participation in the Wikimedia Summit in Berlin 2024 and publishing an analysis of the Movement's Charter (read link on file) prior to the ratification of the Movement's Charter, demonstrating our active and engaged role within the global movement.
Funding
editIn 2023, Wikiesfera received for the first time an annual grant from the Wikimedia Foundation that allowed us to take the first steps towards the sustainability of the project. In 2024, we applied again for this grant but asking for an increase in the funds granted, since the amount of 2023 was insufficient to be able to manage the project properly. Although the full amount requested was not finally granted, we have received a considerable increase with respect to the 2023 amount, which has allowed us to face the 2024 activity in a more structured and continuous way over time, as well as to create a small work team so that all the activity no longer depends exclusively on one person, as had been the case up to that moment. In addition, we are confident that this financial backing will enable us to explore other possible alternative sources of financing that will allow us to establish the path towards the group's long-term survival.
However, the amount granted in this annual grant by the Wikimedia Foundation is still below Wikiesfera's development capacity, which severely limits our growth and consolidation as we have not been able to form a more stable and dedicated team, which, to some extent, continues to condition our sustainability in the medium and long term.