Wikiesfera: A Feminist Initiative for Digital Empowerment through Wikipedia
Wikiesfera is a grassroots feminist initiative created in 2015 with the goal of reducing the gender gap on Wikipedia and in the broader digital knowledge ecosystem. Hosted at Medialab Matadero (Madrid) and coordinated by journalist and digital strategist Patricia Horrillo, the project aims to empower women and underrepresented groups with the digital skills needed to become active contributors to Wikipedia and to reclaim their presence in public knowledge spaces.
Addressing digital inequality through collaboration and empowerment
The initiative was born in response to a systemic issue: less than 20% of Wikipedia editors are women, and content about women and feminist topics is still significantly underrepresented. Wikiesfera addresses this digital inequality by organising collaborative editing sessions (editathons), long-term training programmes, and community-building activities that provide participants with tools for critical media literacy, digital authorship, and open knowledge production.
Unlike traditional training programmes, Wikiesfera offers a horizontal and peer-to-peer learning environment, where women of diverse backgrounds—many without any prior tech experience—can learn to edit Wikipedia in a safe, inclusive, and empowering space. The sessions focus not only on the technical aspects of editing, but also on how to use reliable sources, understand Wikipedia’s policies, and navigate community norms, all from a feminist perspective. The initiative benefits women across the spectrum: from students and activists to professionals in culture, science, and public administration.
Wikiesfera also collaborates with public institutions to design Wikipedia-based projects that address gender biases in areas such as history, science, and culture. Recent partnerships include the Spanish Ministry for the Ecological Transition, the Teatro de la Zarzuela, and several universities. Wikiesfera’s approach has proven to be scalable and replicable.
Over 2,000 participants have taken part in editing activities across Spain, Ecuador, and Portugal. The project has fostered a growing, self-organised community of over 50 active editors who continue to contribute to Wikipedia independently. Through this initiative, Wikiesfera not only teaches digital skills—it transforms how women see themselves as legitimate contributors to digital culture and public knowledge. It helps dismantle structural barriers and ensures that future generations have access to a more inclusive and diverse representation of knowledge.
Why is this a good practice?
Wikiesfera was created to foster inclusion and reduce systemic bias on Wikipedia. It actively engages women from diverse backgrounds, including the LGBT+ community, uses inclusive language, ensures accessibility in its events, and partners with organizations that support underrepresented groups to promote broad participation.
Since 2015, Wikiesfera has organised 175 edit-marathons (editathons and campaigns), engaging over 2,500 participants (90% women) who have created 3,000+ Wikipedia articles and formed a growing network of autonomous local groups. The initiative has reached audiences through 104 talks across 32 cities in 11 countries, with 70 expert guests (all women) and built a collaborative network with 185 public and cultural institutions. The community includes 3,000+ people, with 5 local groups and active communication channels, amplifying the initiative’s impact.
By combining digital literacy, feminist values and free knowledge, Wikiesfera empowers women from diverse backgrounds to participate in digital spaces from which they have historically been excluded. Their impact has been recognised with the 2024 Lovie Special Achievement Award and featured in international media such as The Guardian and El País. As an official Wikimedia user group, their work strengthens democratic access to knowledge and offers a replicable model of community-led participation that aligns with the EU’s goals for digital inclusion, equity and sustainability.
Wikiesfera plans to continue expanding by creating new local nodes and fostering autonomous editing groups. They focus on training women to build sustainable communities that replicate their model independently. Institutional partnerships and digital resources ensure ongoing support. Their scalable formula enables growth across regions and topics, guaranteeing long-term impact and adaptability to new challenges in reducing gender gaps in digital knowledge.
