CIPZ, ARIPO, AfrIPI push for awareness of IP right...

CIPZ, ARIPO, AfrIPI push for awareness of IP rights

Zim Now Writer

The Companies and Intellectual Property Office of Zimbabwe, African Regional Intellectual Property Organisation and Intellectual Property Rights and Innovation in Africa are joining the whole world today to commemorate World Intellectual Property Day.

The event, which is being held under the global theme “Women and IP: Accelerating Innovation and Creativity” will take place in the city centre of Bulawayo.

In a statement, the three IP organisations said the aim is to celebrate the “can do” attitude of women inventors, creators, and entrepreneurs and their ground-breaking work.

“Research conducted by the World Intellectual Property Organisation has revealed that although a large number of women are shaping the world through their innovations and hard work, they make up a small percentage of the statistics indicating ownership of creative work.

“These IP titles, which also translate into financial gain, are important in the realisation of gender parity goals. The barriers creating this reality are even more prevalent in Africa.

“IP Organisations like CIPZ, ARIPO and AfrIPI have the mandate to push awareness of such IP rights and the development opportunities that are created by knowledge-based economies.

“As one of the 22 member states of ARIPO, Zimbabwe has benefited immensely through the intergovernmental organisation’s pooling of resources at a global scale to support African countries to grow and develop in the intellectual property sector,” reads the statement.

CIPZ, ARIPO, and AfrIPI have collaborated in this event to leverage their influence and synergies as intellectual property experts locally, within the African region, and globally.

The IP organisations stated that the Government of Zimbabwe, through CIPZ, has encouraged all women in every sector of business, including micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, to take this opportunity to gather enough information about intellectual property and understand how they can protect their intellectual property as guided by our laws and constitution.

As the annual WIPD celebrations coincide with the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair, members of the public are encouraged to also visit the CIPZ, ARIPO and AfrIPI exhibition stands to learn more about IP rights and registration.