Twelfth Edit-a-thon dedicated to women in technology
In honor of the sponsorship of «Hello 50:50 World,» the latest edition of the «Edit-a-thon» was held under the theme «Women in Tech»—with a focus on the biographies of inspiring women who are making a lasting impact on the tech industry.
The fair representation of women in the digital space is one of the key challenges of our time - especially in light of the rapid developments in the field of artificial intelligence. Information available online forms the basis for machine learning, but this information is often distorted.
The Edit-a-thon "for more visibility on Wikipedia" was launched in Switzerland in 2018 with the aim of counteracting gender stereotypes and giving women more visibility online. The event has since developed a considerable community and brings together volunteers who are passionate about gender equality and writing twice a year.
Once again, the response was overwhelming, according to the organizers: In order to make the online encyclopaedia Wikipedia more diverse, almost 80 participants created or expanded over 60 articles in a concentrated atmosphere at the Ringier Pressehaus and ETH Zurich on Tuesday evening.
"Women are becoming more and more present in the male-dominated tech industry, so it is important to give them the recognition they deserve. We make them and their achievements visible," explains Patrizia Laeri, Co-Founder Edit-a-thon. "By doing so, we are not only making the online database more diverse, but also inspiring women of the coming generations to confidently make their way in the world of technology."
According to the Federal Statistical Office, the proportion of women in the ICT sector in 2023 was only 21.1 %. Although there has been a slight increase since 2008 (17.2 %), this is mainly due to female career changers. At the same time, the number of female STEM students has stagnated for over 15 years.
"This underrepresentation is alarming because technology affects us all," says Lisa Stähli, Co-Lead of "Hello 50:50 World". "Only through diverse teams developing applications, algorithms and technical solutions can we avoid exacerbating existing problems or creating new inequalities - for example in facial and voice recognition."
The founding partners of the Edit-a-thon include Patrizia Laeri (Co-Founder and CEO Ellexx), Katia Murmann (Co-Founder EqualVoice and WolfPak) and Muriel Staub (former President of Wikimedia CH and Senior Campaigner Avaaz). The hosts are Wikimedia CH, Ringier with the EqualVoice initiative, ETH Zurich and the TX Group.
The next Edit-a-thon will take place on May 6, 2025. In the context of the UEFA Women's EURO 2025, which will be held in Switzerland next summer, the focus will be on women in sport.
