In November 2024, the article Emergency contraception in Spain It reached an important milestone by appearing on the cover of Wikipedia, getting more than 6,200 views in just three days. Why is it so relevant that an article like this gets featured and is on the cover? Because provides reliable and accessible information on a key issue for reproductive health, in an environment where misinformation can cause serious consequences.
Remember that Wikipedia, one of the most visited web pages in the world, constitutes the largest source of knowledge accessible globally. And, its cover, the space consulted by millions of people daily. That's why featured articles, which must meet rigorous quality standards and represent the best examples of the content available in the encyclopedia, can appear on the front page of Wikipedia, significantly amplifying its visibility.
What is a featured article?
The article Emergency contraception in Spain, created on 17 June 2024, was recognised as a standout on 17 October 2024 and featured on the front page of the Spanish Wikipedia from 5 to 8 November 2024. To get the "highlighted" seal, an item must meet the following standards:
- Reliable and verifiable sources: The information we use must be based on academic, scientific or institutional sources. And, in this case, clinical studies and Spanish legislative documents were used, which guaranteed the accuracy and credibility of the data.
- Neutrality: Articles should present all perspectives fairly. This criterion is essential in reproductive health issues, where there are social and ethical debates.
- Quality of writing and presentation: The information should be clear, concise and error-free. To do this, the article included tables that facilitated the understanding of statistics on the use of emergency contraception in different autonomous communities.
- Comprehensive and deep coverage: A featured article should address all relevant aspects of the topic. In this case, sections on history, legislation, access to emergency contraception and social barriers were included, providing a comprehensive approach.
- Compliance with the style manual: The article was structured in a hierarchical manner, with an introductory summary and well-defined sections.
- Stability: The information must be consistent and not subject to constant disputes. The article demonstrated stability in its content since its recognition as a standout.
It is important to highlight that, in order to be highlighted, an article must go through a rigorous review process that takes months, culminating in a community vote. Less than 1% of articles from the Spanish Wikipedia have the category of outstanding.
The criteria of a featured article ensure that the information is reliable, neutral and well presented. When it comes to women's health, these standards not only raise the quality of content, but also ensure that thousands of people get accurate and accessible information on the Wikipedia Homepage, contributing to greater awareness, education and equity in global health.
The impact of visibility
The appearance of issues related to women's health on the front page of Wikipedia has important implications. In reproductive health issues, misinformation is a recurring problem. Publishing a featured article ensures readers have access to verified and neutral content. Being on the cover of Wikipedia ensures that topics like emergency contraception reach a diverse audience. This contributes to better access to information, which is crucial for women to make informed decisions about our health.
During its appearance on the cover of the Spanish Wikipedia, from November 5 to 8, 2024, the article Emergency contraception in Spain recorded an average of 1,562 visits per day, accumulating more than 6,200 visits in total.
In a context where sexual and reproductive education remains limited in many countries, it is critical to highlight the importance of addressing women's health rigorously and without prejudice.
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