WIPO empowering Women

On August 09^th, which is apparently the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples the WIPO took an initiative to launch their first project which is based on training and mentoring program on Intellectual Property for women entrepreneurs from indigenous persons and local groups.

WIPO emphasized that the projects which are based on traditional knowledge (TK) and traditional cultural expressions (TECs) helps reinforce the senses of individuality and belonging of indigenous persons and local groups, in addition to that it also generates revenues that helps their communities.

With the increase in the role that Intellectual Property plays for indigenous peoples and local groups to evade the misuse and misapplication of their TK and TECs, WIPO offers to train and guide the people in some particular projects  about “how to make strategic and effective use of IP rights in support”.

The focus of this program is only on women due to the obstacles faced by them in relation to prejudice access to education, funding and support system, in addition to the part they generally perform as a guardian of TK and TECs.

Thus, for example WIPO may “support artistic and innovative businesspersons to sustainably brand and commercialize TK and TCEs-based goods and services; assist in identifying  and managing the IP problems that can arise in the relation of TK and TCEs documentation and digitization projects; help folk, art and cultural festival organizers, but also artists, performers and exhibitors at such festivals, to supervise and handle the use of IP rights in that situation”.
It is anticipated that the program will not only enable sustainable success in the applicants´ societies but also decrease the disparities of gender and poverty by encouraging invention, creativity and entrepreneurship of women from indigenous persons and local societies.