The first edit-a-thon within Ringier’s EqualVoice initiative, which aims to increase the visibility of women in the digital space, was held at the University Library “Svetozar Marković” in Belgrade. During the marathon, biographies of twelve women from Serbian history who left a significant mark but had not had their own Wikipedia pages until now were created and expanded.
This unique effort is part of an international initiative launched by media company Ringier in 2019 in Switzerland, which Ringier Serbia joined in 2023, using the EqualVoice Factor analytical tool to measure and improve the balance of women’s and men’s presence in media content. The edit-a-thon is a continuation of efforts to restore to women who have shaped our society their rightful place in digital history, where data shows that only 19 percent of biographical articles on Serbian Wikipedia belong to women.
Participants of the marathon – journalists, editors, librarians, and volunteers – with the support of the Wikimedia Serbia team and after prior training, created in just a few hours biographies of the following women: Vukosava Davidović, Zagorka Gavrilović, Tanja Delić, Jelena Danilović, Katarina Damijan Zelenika, Jelena Ban, Mirjana Deveđić, Mirjana Babić Šujica, Branka Gavrilović, Smiljka Gabelić, Ljiljana Babić, and Jelena Vajs Beložanski. These are artists, scientists, and professors who had remained invisible in the digital sphere until now.
The event was opened by Brankica Janković, Commissioner for the Protection of Equality; Jelena Isaković, Publishing Director at Ringier Serbia and leader of the EqualVoice initiative in Serbia; Oja Krinulović from the University Library; and Gorana Gomirac from Wikimedia Serbia. In their speeches, they highlighted the importance of working together to empower women’s presence in public life and digital sources of knowledge.
The event carried special symbolism, as women of different generations participated – the youngest was 18 and the oldest 72 – further confirming that the desire to contribute to the community and a fairer portrayal of reality transcends generational differences.
The EqualVoice Edit-a-Thon is only the first in a series – new events are planned by the end of the year, aiming to continuously increase the number of women’s biographies on Wikipedia and to strengthen public awareness of the importance of gender equality in knowledge and media through concrete actions.