2025:Program/Governance Models across the African Movement
Session title: Governance Models across the African Movement
- Session type: Panel
- Track: Governance & Strategy
- Language: en
🎥 Session recording: https://w.wiki/FC7i 🎥
The Wikimedia movement is an exciting and unconventional space where other paths to recognisable governance structures do not always apply and are not always possible. This panel will include some of the older, established members of the African movement and those who are just starting out. It will discuss experiences, experiments and models tried and abandoned for governance across the continent.
Description
The Wikimedia movement, like its larger family the open movement is constantly evolving, and innovating while it does so, pushing at the boundaries openness and transparency. The Wikimedia movement across Africa has grown fast and furiously over the last 10 years, from groups of friends getting together to try this Wikipedia thing, that develop into volunteer groups. With each step deeper into the Wikimedia movement, with each rapid grant application, each Wiki Loves X commitment, there is more and more pressure to formalise into a usergroups, and then, in some cases to become nationally registered, legal entities.
These structures that support the work of its volunteers are in constant tension between the legal requirements of their national regulator, the expectations and needs of their local members, the open expectations of the global movement, and the pressured of funders demands. As a result a few different models have sprung up, some more traditional than others. This panel will discuss the what structures can support Wikimedia in Africa. It will talk about the models they have chosen and the challenges they face; it will also talk about alternative or unexpected models and how they are a result of context.
- How does your session relate to the event theme, Wikimania@20 – Inclusivity. Impact. Sustainability?
Everyone is told that governance is essential to sustainability – from the local groups to the larger movement. How do we keep the volunteer structures strong and stable enough to last, and flexible enough to welcome new members with fresh and unexpected ideas. The panel will discuss this and more throughout the time.
- What is the experience level needed for the audience for your session?
Some experience will be needed
Resources
Speakers
- islahaddow
- Isla has been working as a Wikipedian since 2011, activating Africa’s collective voice and experiences on the Wikimedia and Open movements. She co-leads ground-breaking Africa-focused projects such as Wiki Loves Africa, Wiki Loves Women, WikiAfrica Hour, African Environment WikiFocus, ISA Tool, WikiFundi, and WikiChallenge Écoles d’Afrique. She also works part-time as Director of Communications for Open Education Global.
- Isla is a project and communications strategist, a Zimbabwean by birth and a Capetonian (South Africa) by adoption. She is passionate about open access to Africa’s knowledge and facilitating the growth of previously under-represented or ‘invisible’ communities to share their stories, experiences, creativity, and heritage with the world. Prior to her involvement in Wikimedia, she worked to promote Africa’s filmmakers, writers, poets, musicians, and artists.
- In 2019, Isla was a member of the Advocacy Working Group for the completed Wikimedia Movement Strategy 2030. In 2020, she researched, wrote, and published an analytical report on the motivations, needs, expectations, and philosophical intentions of Creative Commons’ Global Network members. The report is compiled from the thoughts and experiences of 188 Creative Commoners members.
- Prior to working within the WikiAfrica movement, she was the Marketing and Communications Manager for the Africa Centre, raising the brand and national profile of event-based arts brands. Prior to that, she worked as a writer to accelerate and support the growth of Africa’s film industry both as a skilled destination and a burgeoning creative force.