In the year 2000, the different Member States agreed to designate April 26 as the "World Intellectual Property Day," coinciding with the entry into force of the Convention of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) on April 26, 1970. As for this year's theme, it focuses on highlighting the participation of women in the sector, under the slogan "Women and IP: Accelerating Innovation and Creativity."
In this regard, WIPO has published an article highlighting how women have made a difference in resolving intellectual property conflicts. Regarding alternative dispute resolution mechanisms, such as mediation and arbitration, it states that women have played a significant role in advancing ADR, both as professionals and advocates for diversity and inclusion.
In relation to the above, WIPO has gathered testimonies from experts from different regions, industries, and legal systems, including Marisa Castelo - President of the Instituto de Derecho de Autor (Instituto Autor) - who has highlighted the "Mediautor Project" carried out in collaboration with the WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center. She also emphasizes the role of women in intellectual property, encouraging "all women experts in IP, who are many and wonderful professionals, to collaborate with this project and apply to join as mediators. The first step to closing the gender gap starts with taking a step forward."
Furthermore, we also highlight the statements of Maria Gabriela Talavera Garcia, Director of the Intellectual Property Rights Department of the Supreme Court of Justice of Paraguay and collaborator of the Instituto Autor in the "II Regional Forum on Copyright and Digital Development, from the regulatory perspective." She believes in the importance of raising awareness about the benefits of ADR and providing accessible education to enable its development in intellectual property through training. She also highlights the implementation of mediation in the Supreme Court of Justice of Paraguay.
On the other hand, María José Arancibia, a Chilean lawyer from Obrador Digital Legal, representative of the Latin American School of Intellectual Property (ELAPI), and collaborator of the Instituto Autor in the "II Regional Forum on Copyright and Digital Development, from the regulatory perspective," points out that "if, for example, we consider the case of patent invention or copyright, we will see that the technologies associated with them are advancing at a rapid pace, a situation that requires a justice system that is up to date and that legal conflicts are not carried out within a judicial system that was created without being aware of this reality. Submitting IP disputes to an arbitration or mediation procedure ensures the goals of justice and provides a quick and quality response to the parties involved."
Furthermore, WIPO has also highlighted the collaboration it maintains with several Intellectual Property and copyright offices in different regions to raise awareness about the advantages of ADR and offer dispute resolution options in intellectual property and technology matters.
Fuentes: WIPO (WIPO ADR Stories: How women are making a difference in IP Dispute Resolution).