Brazil hosts the VI Regional Meeting on Industrial Property (IP) and Gender Equality

Since 2017, the Division for Latin American Countries and the Caribbean (DLAC) of WIPO has been working with Industrial Property Offices of Industrial Property and Copyright on IP and gender equality. Every year, representatives from the countries part of the Latin American and Caribbean gender equality network get together to shar ebest practices and brainstorm on initiatives for the development of gender-related institutional policies and measures, collect data and analysis on IP and gender; and promote the use of IP by women.

 This year, on August 8 and 9, the WIPO Brazil Office (WBO) joined the DLAC in welcoming authorities from IP offices of 12 Latin American countries and 2 Caribbean countries to participate in the VI Regional Meeting on Industrial Property (IP) and Gender Equality, in cooperation with the National Institute of Industrial Property (INPI) of Brazil.

The meeting aimed to promote high-level discussions and exchange of best practices on the importance of incorporating a gender perspective into IP office functions and services. It also provided a space to discuss and establish regional collaborative actions to strengthen the Latin American IP and Gender Network.

On the opening table, Ms. Beatriz Amorim-Borher, Director of the DLAC and acting Director of the WBO, highlighted that 15 countries in Latin America already have implemented tools for the gathering of data related to IP, and presented WIPO Policy on gender equality for 2024-2027.

The two-day event consisted of extensive learning and high-level exchange. Topics covered ranged from fostering women's participation in the IP system in Latin America to promoting gender equality within the IP sector.

 This event reaffirmed the commitment of Latin American countries to utilize IP as a tool to bridge gender gaps and promote equality. The VI Regional Meeting was a significant step towards creating a more inclusive and equitable IP ecosystem in the region.

 Visit WIPO’s IP gender and diversity webpage for more information on WIPO initiatives and publications on the topic.