Wikipedia needs more women. Let’s close the gender gaps and change the stats.
Numbers alone do not tell a story. But they can help shed light on underlying issues, like the gender gap on Wikipedia. The free encyclopedia, and all Wikimedia projects, share a vision of a world in which everyone can freely access the sum of all human knowledge. The Wikimedia Foundation, the nonprofit organization behind Wikipedia, believes we can fulfill this vision. But to do so, Wikipedia needs more women.
Wikipedia needs more women is our call for people like you to edit women’s stories, histories, and contexts onto Wikipedia. Here, you will find inspiring stories about volunteers who are helping close the knowledge gender gap and learn how you can help #ChangeTheStats.
Only
19%
of all biographies on Wikipedia are about women
Only
13%
of Wikipedia editors identify as women
Only
21%
of the content on Wikimedia Commons is related to women
Only
20%
of the content on Wikiquote is attributed to women
Sources: Humaniki, February 2024; Community Insights Survey, 2023
Women of Wikimedia: Inspiring stories
Wikimedia projects are made possible with the wonderful work of hundreds of thousands of volunteers, many of them committed to closing the gender gap. Get inspired by reading their stories:
Wikipedia needs more women
To truly reflect the complexity and richness of the human experience, it is essential that Wikipedia actively engages and includes more content about and contributions from women — cis, transgender, and non-binary — from around the world.
Meet the people making Wikimedia projects more equitable
Open the Knowledge: Stories is a celebration of the contributors, creators, and communities whose work is helping the world learn about notable people and topics that are often overlooked.
Inspiring Open Podcast: Leading women in tech
Anie Akpe, a pioneer and the founder of African Women in Tech, shares her expertise and journey to empowering women in the technology industry.
Reflections from Dr. Nkem Osuigwe: Wikimedian of the year 2022
From novice editor to leader on Wikipedia, Dr. Nkem Osuigue sheds light on the Movement Strategy, a collaborative effort shaping the future of Wikimedia free knowledge projects.
The Stream: How are Wikipedians fighting gender bias on the internet’s encyclopedia?
A closer look into the efforts to close gender knowledge gaps on Wikimedia taking place across community groups, campaigns, and events.
WikiWomen: A call for gender equity in the Wikimedia Movement
In 2023, 70+ women and non-binary individuals got together to address the gender gap on Wikimedia through research, collaboration, and proactive initiatives.
Get started: How you can change the stats
Whether you are a total beginner or an expert editor, there are plenty of opportunities for you to get involved and help #ChangeTheStats. Do not know where to start? We got you!
Celebrate Women
Celebrate Women is a volunteer-led campaign that takes place yearly on Women’s History Month, and focuses on closing the gender gap. You can find everything, from events happening near you to helpful resources, and how to get started, on the Celebrate Women 2024 Meta page.
Visit the page
Does the content on Wikipedia reflect the world’s diversity?
The Wikimedia movement is working towards closing knowledge gaps on free knowledge projects and beyond. Want to understand why that matters? This video, which is part of our A Wiki Minute series, can help.
Help us unlock the world’s knowledge.
As a nonprofit, Wikipedia and our related free knowledge projects are powered primarily through donations.
Donate now
Photo credits
Wikimedia Foundation
Wikimedia Foundation
