Joint statement in support of women in IP

The IPO is committed to improving gender equality in IP, including among our customers and our staff. We are working with other national intellectual property offices on this collective objective and are pleased to publish the following joint statement on International Women’s Day:

This year, the theme for International Women’s Day 2022 is “Gender Equality for a Sustainable Tomorrow.” We commit to work together to support an increased contribution by women in developing, commercializing, and distributing their innovations and creative works in order to achieve a more sustainable and hope-driven future.

Women are more vulnerable to the effects of climate change - UN figures indicate that 80% of people displaced by climate change are women. Yet their contributions are crucial in creating new technologies, products, and processes for mitigating its impact. Their entrepreneurship, innovation and creativity foster economic growth and enrich cultures.

In many countries, women are underrepresented in the intellectual property (IP) system. Around the globe, patent, trademark and copyright offices provide resources and support for innovators and creators of all genders, helping them to navigate and access the IP system. Through these and other programs, we are committed to working together to reach gender equality throughout our economies.

Equality can only be achieved when the gender mix of the innovators and creators engaged in innovation and creativity and using our IP systems reflects the gender mix of our society. This will lead to a more sustainable, healthy and balanced society, enriching life for everyone.

International Women’s Day joint message from:

Business and Intellectual Property Authority of Namibia

Canadian Intellectual Property Office

European Patent Office

Intellectual Property Office of Australia

Latin American Network on Intellectual Property and Gender

National Institute of Industrial Property (INPI) - Republic of Argentina

National Institute of Industrial Property (INAPI) - Republic of Chile, superintendence of Industry and Commerce (SIC) - Republic of Colombia,

National Registry of the Republic of Costa Rica

National Service of Intellectual Rights (SENADI) - Republic of Ecuador

National Institute for the Defense of Competition and the Protection of Intellectual Property, (INDECOPI) -Republic of Peru

National Office of Industrial Property - of the Republic of the Dominican Republic (ONAPI)

National Directorate of Industrial Property - of the Republic of Uruguay (DNPI)

South African Companies and Intellectual Property Commission

United Kingdom Intellectual Property Office, United States Copyright Office

United States Patent and Trademark Office

World Intellectual Property Organization

Around the globe, patent, trademark, and copyright offices provide resources and support for innovators and

creators of all genders.