Brazil Hosts Sixth Regional Conference on Industrial Property and Gender Equality in Latin America

Since 2017, the Division for Latin American Countries and the Caribbean (DLAC) of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) has actively collaborated with Industrial Property Offices and Copyright authorities to promote gender equality within the intellectual property (IP) landscape. Each year, representatives from countries participating in the Latin American and Caribbean gender equality network convene to share best practices, brainstorm initiatives, and develop institutional policies that address gender disparities in IP.

On August 8 and 9, 2024, the WIPO Brazil Office (WBO) partnered with DLAC and Brazil’s National Institute of Industrial Property (INPI) to host the VI Regional Meeting on Industrial Property and Gender Equality. The event brought together authorities from IP offices of 12 Latin American countries and 2 Caribbean nations to engage in high-level discussions and collaborative exchanges.

The meeting’s primary objective was to emphasize the importance of incorporating a gender perspective into the functions and services of IP offices. Participants explored strategies to promote women’s participation in the IP system and discussed mechanisms to collect and analyze gender-disaggregated data related to IP activities.

During the opening session, Ms. Beatriz Amorim-Borher, Director of DLAC and acting Director of the WBO, highlighted that 15 Latin American countries have already implemented tools for gathering IP-related gender data. She also presented WIPO’s Gender Equality Policy for 2024-2027, outlining the organization’s commitment to fostering gender inclusivity across its programs.

Over the course of two days, the meeting featured extensive learning sessions and high-level exchanges on topics ranging from enhancing women’s engagement with IP rights to promoting gender equality within the IP sector. The event served as a platform for sharing successful initiatives and identifying regional collaborative actions to strengthen the Latin American IP and Gender Network.

This sixth regional meeting reaffirmed the commitment of Latin American and Caribbean countries to leverage intellectual property as a tool to bridge gender gaps and promote equality. By fostering dialogue and cooperation, the event marked a significant step toward building a more inclusive and equitable IP ecosystem in the region.

For further information on WIPO’s initiatives and publications related to IP and gender diversity, stakeholders are encouraged to visit WIPO’s dedicated IP gender and diversity webpage.