Only 12 percent of girls and 6 percent of boys aged 15-24 know where to find sexual and reproductive health (SRH) information and services; and only half can identify the risks of pregnancy, according to the Indonesian Demographic Health Survey 2017. On the other hand, around 50 percent of young people consider the internet and social media as crucial sources of information on SRH, underlining the necessity of making SRH information readily available online (UNFPA Asia Pacific, 2021).
UNFPA Indonesia supports Wikimedia Indonesia in commemorating International Women’s Day 2024 through Indonesia Wiki Women’s Month 2024 that focuses on the pressing need for accurate and reliable SRH information in Indonesia, especially for women and girls. Wikimedia Indonesia chose this theme following extensive discussions with UNFPA Indonesia, in alignment with WikiProject Women's Health, and in collaboration with the Swedish Embassy.
Alongside the imperative, there is an urgency in combating infodemics, characterized by the proliferation of information, including misinformation and disinformation, particularly concerning SRH for women and girls. Thus, ensuring the availability of factual and trustworthy SRH information online becomes pivotal in addressing both the information gap and the challenge of infodemics.
Working closely with the Wikimedia Foundation (WMF) and Dr. Netha Hussain, Wikimedia Indonesia curated a list of essential women’s health articles. Additionally, UNFPA’s support enabled the participation of the Community of Practice (CoP) of SRH youth content creators, who facilitated training sessions on SRH issues and provided reliable resources to enhance the quality of Indonesian Wikipedia articles.
Throughout March, Indonesia Wiki Women’s Month 2024 unfolded with a blend of offline and online events, all geared towards augmenting both the quantity and quality of articles focusing on women's health on Wikimedia projects, notably Wikipedia and Wikidata. The offline segment, held in collaboration with the Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences of Udayana University in Bali, featured a cornerstone event: Bincang Perempuan (Women’s Talk). This gathering saw the participation of esteemed guests, including the Swedish Ambassador to Indonesia and Indonesian SRH experts to encourage public participation in bridging the information gap by contributing SRH information to the digital space, including social media and Wikimedia projects. Complementing this pivotal discussion was a series of Wikipedia editing trainings and Edit-A-Thons on the local languages, enriching the program further.
“Thanks to the collaborative efforts with UNFPA Indonesia, the engagement of the Community of Practice of SRH youth content creators has brought valuable insights to Indonesian Wikipedians, fostering the creation of more precise and gender-sensitive Wikipedia articles,” Dian Agustin from Wikimedia Indonesia said.
On the other hand, members of the CoP also expressed their enthusiasm for the event and their eagerness to contribute to Wikipedia, especially on SRH topics.
"I am interested in contributing to writing on Bahasa Indonesia Wikipedia on various gender and women's issues. And I want to share my articles on social media so that more and more people will get involved in writing and sharing women's issues on Wikipedia," said Vevi Alfi, a member of the CoP from Mubadalah.id.
At the end of the event, Indonesia Wiki Women’s Month 2024 boasted the creation of 144 new articles and the enhancement of 721 existing articles. This event engaged 220 editors and garnered 57,900 article views. It signifies a significant milestone in collaboration with UNFPA Indonesia. As a follow-up to this collaboration, UNFPA Indonesia will also be presenting at the Wikimedia Indonesia’s annual conference (WikiNusantara 2024), further spotlighting efforts to bridge the gender gap in Wikimedia projects and promoting access to quality SRH information in the digital space for girls and young women in Indonesia. By investing in women's and girls' access to knowledge, we build a stronger social fabric and empower them to create a brighter future for all.
Sakti Pramudya, Wikimedia Foundation
Dian Agustin, Wikimedia Indonesia
Giasinta Livia, UNFPA Indonesia
Rahmi Dian Agustino, UNFPA Indonesia
