WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS NETWORKS

IN AFRICA

- OVERVIEW AND INFORMATION -

& WIPO’S CONTRIBUTION TO W.E. PROJECTS

WIPO-ARIPO NATIONAL SEMINAR ON INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY AND COMPETITIVENESS OF SMEs - 7 -9.02.07

- Harare (Zimbabwe)

Caroline Schwab - Program Officer - WIPO SMES DIVISION

GLOBALISATION AND TRADE LIBERALISATION ARE POSING A

NUMBER OF CHALLENGES

AS WELL AS CREATING NEW OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE MANY

WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS THROUGHOUT THE WORLD

AND IN AFRICA.

SINCE WOMEN-OWNED BUSINESSES PLAY A KEY ROLE IN NATIONAL ECONOMIC GROWTH, IT IS IMPORTANT

TO ENSURE THAT THE POLICY ENVIRONMENT, INFRASTRUCTURE AND SUPPORT MECHANISME FOR

BUSINESSES ARE ACCESSIBLE TO THEM AND RESPOND TO THEIR NEEDS,

ADDRESSING DISCRIMINATION AND THE FACT THAT MANY WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS HAVE

SIGNIFICANTLY LESS ACCESS THAN MEN TO SOME OF THE KEY RESOURCES REQUIRED TO GROW THEIR

BUSINESSES.

WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS HAVE DEVELOPED INNOVATIVE WAYS TO INTEGRATE SOCIAL ISSUES AND STRUCTURES AS WELL AS TO NETWORK AND BUILD CROSS-SECTORAL

ALLIANCES

WIPO’S CONTRIBUTION TO W.E. PROJECTS

http://www.wipo.int/women-and-ip/en/activities/

WIPO is regularly organizing meetings, workshops and seminars (also on-demand) in developing and developed

countries, offering a wide range of free guide and publications, proposing distance learning programs and advice on-line. WIPO cooperates with W.E. Networks

worldwide.

THE WOMEN AMBASSADORS NETWORK http://www.womenambassadors.org/index_en.html

GENEVA - NEW-YORK - VIENNA MEETINGS

WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS ASSOCIATIONS AND NETWORKS

Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency www.acoa.ca/e/media/press/press.shtml?ID=2924

Business and Professional Women International (BPW International) www.bpwintl.com/start.htm

British Association of Women Entrepreneurs www.bawe-uk.org

Canadian Association of Women Executives and Entrepreneurs (CAWEE) www.cawee.net/

Center for International Private Enterprise (CIPE) www.cipe.org

Commonwealth Business Council www.cbcglobelink.org/

Community Capital Development www.seattleccd.com/

Entrewomen www.entrewomen.ca/

Innovate Women in the Nordic and the Baltic Sea Countries www.quin.biz/programme.htm

International Women's Tribune Centre (IWTC) www.iwtc.org

GlobeWomen.com - Global Women's Business Network www.globewomen.com

Lemelson-MIT Program web.mit.edu/invent/invent-main.html

NUTEK www.nutek.se/sb/d/182/a/1158

WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS ASSOCIATIONS AND NETWORKS

Organization of Women in International Trade (OWIT) www.owit.org/

RBC Royal Bank - Women Entrepreneurs www.rbcroyalbank.com/sme/women/programs.html

Women Igniting the Spirit of Entrepreneurship (WISE) Resources whitman.syr.edu/eee/wise/Resources.html

The Women's Forum for the Economy and Society www.womens-forum.com

Women's International Networking (W.I.N.) www.winconference.net

Women Inventors Project, Canada www.womenip.com/main.htm

Women's Technology Cluster www.wtc-sf.org

World Association of Women Entrepreneurs FCEM www.fcem.org/

*This list is based on information available to WIPO, and reference thereto in no way reflects any agreement with or approval of the contents of the web sites.

PACCIA/PACT is being implemented in seven countries over a five year period (2003-2007). Projects in the first four

countries (Ghana, Senegal, South Africa and Tanzania) are well underway, while program

development are taking place in Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Ethiopia, Uganda and Mali.

The “ACCESS” program developed by the International Trade Center (ITC) will soon

also include IP trainings and IP information.

http://www.womenexporters.com/

OTHER INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS THE ILO, THE COMMONWEALTH SECRETARIAT, UNESCO AND MORE ARE

WORKING ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF WOMEN ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE (THROUGH PRIVATE BANKS, THE WORLD BANK AND

THE AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK).

http://www.womenexporters.com/

In country after country, statistics show that even during these years of economic crisis and recession, the one robust sector providing economic growth,

increased productivity and employment has been that of small and medium-sized enterprises.

What is less known is that in many countries up to 40 percent to 50 percent of such enterprises are owned

and run by WOMEN - women who are actual or potential owners of trademarks, service marks, trade

name as well as of industrial designs, patents and copyrights.

-

The Commonwealth Secretariat strongly supports Women Entrepreneurs:

http://www.thecommonwealth.org/news/34580/34581/141577/supporting_women_entrepreneurs.htm

South Africa Women Entrepreneurs Networks:

http://www.southafrica.info/doing_business/trends/women/sawen.htm

The United Nation Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM)

http://www.comminit.com/experiences/pdskdv82002/experiences-1558.html

OECD workshop urges governments to aid women entrepreneurs in Middle East, North Africa

www.oecd.org/document/43/0,2340,fr_2649_33956792_35126507_1_1_1_1,00.html

Millenium Development Goals and African Women Entrepreneurs

http://www.ascleiden.nl/Pdf/finalmdgs0031.ppt

International Labor Organization for Women Entrepreneurs:http://www.ilo.org/dyn/gender/

It is critical that outreach programs to build awareness about the importance of intellectual property and its protection target these women and also the women

running the majority of micro enterprises and the many cooperatives that are proving so successful, especially in developing countries. Women, just as men, deserve to be given the means to enable them to take advantage

of intellectual property as a tool of economic and social empowerment.

THE GLOBAL SOCIETY OF TODAY NEEDS ALL THE POTENTIAL TO ENHANCE THE INTERNATIONAL, REGIONAL AND NATIONAL ECONOMIES. WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS ARE READY TO HELP THE SOCIETY TO RESTAURE THE PROSPERITY OF THE INDUSTRIES, ENTREPRISES AND THE EMPLOYEMENT AND QUALITY LEVEL.

WOMEN’S VOCATION IS TO ENHANCE THE SOCIETY

Women seeking to generate income by setting up and developing a business, usually operate in micro, small

or medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

SMEs are the driving force of most economies with a proven capacity to innovate and to generate new ideas

and technologies. Consequently, a wider and more effective use of the intellectual property (IP) system would enable innovative and creative women doing

business in SMEs to enhance their market position and to contribute to the economic growth of their

countries.

WOMEN ARE A DRIVEN FORCE IN THE SOCIETY

A good understanding of the IP system will enable women entrepreneurs to establish an IP strategy suitable to the needs, possibilities and capacities of their business.

An effective IP strategy can assist woman entrepreneurs to face key business concerns, including raising finances, increasing the market value of the enterprise, marketing products and services, finding partners and suppliers, exporting, acquiring technology and conducting business transactions on the Internet.

WOMEN’S VOCATION IS ALSO TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF THE SOCIETY

A good understanding of the IP system will enable women entrepreneurs to establish an IP strategy suitable to the needs, possibilities and capacities of their business.

An effective IP strategy can assist woman entrepreneurs to face key business concerns, including raising finances, increasing the market value of the enterprise, marketing products and services, finding partners and suppliers, exporting, acquiring technology and conducting business transactions on the Internet.

WOMEN AND MEN ARE AN EQUAL DRIVEN FORCE

WOMEN AND MEN ARE THE VITAL DRIVEN FORCE FOR OUR

SOCIETY

WOMEN AND MEN MUST FIGHT TOGETHER TO INSTAURE A FAIR

ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL BALANCE IN THE GLOBAL SOCIETY, AT ALL LEVELS

AS WELL AS IN AFRICA.

WOMEN AND MEN CLOSELY WORKING TOGETHER IS THE GARANTIE OF A

HEALTY DEVELOPMENT AND A BETTER SOCIETY.

WOMEN AND MEN ARE THE VITAL DRIVEN FORCE FOR THE GLOBAL SOCIETY

THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

SME@WIPO.INT