How can intellectual property (IP) help Women’s contribution to design? Our sharing session, held on May 6, 2025, featured women designers from Guatemala, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Poland, Nigeria and Jordan, who shared their professional experiences and answered this question. The event highlighted how IP tools have helped them grow their businesses, protect their creativity, and establish a presence in the design industry.
The seventh sharing session on Women in Design took place on May 6, 2025, in a hybrid format. The session brought together accomplished designers from Guatemala, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Poland, Nigeria, and Jordan. It aimed to explore how IP tools have supported these designers in navigating the industry, scaling their ventures, and asserting ownership over their creative work.
Ms. Chitra Narayanaswamy, Director of the Department of Program Planning and Finance at WIPO, opened the session by highlighting the persistent gender gap in IP. She noted that women accounted only 17.7% of inventors in 2023, with gender parity not expected until 2077. While acknowledging progress made, she emphasized the ongoing need to foster a more inclusive and equitable global IP landscape.
The session was moderated by Her Excellency Ms. Hasmik Tolmajian, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the Republic of Armenia to the United Nations Office and other international organizations in Geneva. Ambassador Tolmajian underscored the significance of sharing real-world experiences, particularly focusing on how women in the design industry are leveraging IP to enhance their creative work and amplify their business impact.
The session featured five distinguished women designers from different regions of the world, each offering a unique perspective on the intersection of design, culture, and IP. They highlighted how IP tools support not only the protection of individual creativity but also the preservation of cultural heritage and the advancement of women in the design industry.
The panelists included the following designers:
- Ms. Isabella Springmuhl Tejada, Fashion Designer, Down to Xjabelle, Guatemala.
- Ms. Eman Al Ahmed, Fashion Designer, Eman Al Ahmed, Jordan
- Ms. Veomanee Douangdala, Vice President, Luang Prabang GI Silk Promotion Association, and Co-Founder, Ock Pop Tok, Lao People’s Democratic Republic
- Ms. Zainab Ashadu, Creative Director, Zashadu, Nigeria
- Ms. Jadwiga Husarska-Sobina, Expert in Innovation and Design, Chief Executive Officer, Husarska Design Studio, Poland
The presentations of the panelists focused on the following key takeaways:
- IP tools are essential in helping designers protect their work while also celebrating and preserving cultural traditions.
- Design can serve as a powerful vehicle for social impact, offering opportunities for inclusion, economic advancement, and community empowerment, especially for women.
- The protection of IP rights is critical for building, expanding, and maintaining creative businesses.
- A clear brand identity, combined with innovative design and strategic IP use, contributes significantly to long-term success and competitiveness in the design sector.
- While the IP system can seem complex, increased awareness and guidance can empower more creators, particularly women, to engage with and benefit from it.
Ambassador Tolmajian moderated the discussion, encouraging a dynamic exchange of ideas. The panelists' presentations were followed by an engaging Q&A session with the audience, featuring questions from both online participants and those attending in person. The event concluded with closing remarks from Ms. Narayanaswamy, who emphasized that the purpose of the sharing session was not solely focused on closing the gender gap in IP. It also aimed at empowering women in leadership and entrepreneurship roles by promoting the strategic use of IP tools to support their creative and professional endeavors.
This event is part of a series of sessions aiming to Close the Gender Gap in IP, organized following a decision by the Committee on Development and Intellectual Property (CDIP).
The full session is available via WIPO Webcasting in English, French and Spanish. This is an ongoing series, please stay tuned for the next session!
Related information
- First sharing session on "Closing the Gender Gap in Intellectual Property – Mapping and Addressing Barriers"
- Second sharing session on "Closing the Gender Gap in IP: Exploring Multi-stakeholder Initiatives"
- Third sharing session on "Closing the Gender Gap in IP: Looking at Good Practices"
- Fourth sharing session on "Closing the Gender Gap in IP: Women and Tourism"
- Fifth sharing session on "Closing The Gender Gap In IP: Women In The Creative Industries"
- Sixth sharing session on “Closing the Gender Gap in IP: Women and the Sustainable Development Goals”