WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS NETWORKS

IN AFRICA
- OVERVIEW AND INFORMATION -

& WIPOS 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

WIPOS 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
NUTEK

web.mit.edu/invent/invent-main.html
www.nutek.se/sb/d/182/a/1158

WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS ASSOCIATIONS AND NETWORKS

Organization of Women in International Trade (OWIT)

RBC Royal Bank - Women Entrepreneurs

www.owit.org/

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.

http://www.womenexporters.com/
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).

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/34580/34581/141
577/supporting_women_entrepreneurs.htm
South Africa Women Entrepreneurs Networks:
http://www.southafrica.info/doing_business/trends/wome
n/sawen.htm
The United Nation Development Fund for Women
(UNIFEM)
http://www.comminit.com/experiences/pdskdv82002/exp
eriences-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_3512650
7_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.
WOMENS
VOCATION IS
TO ENHANCE
THE SOCIETY

WOMEN ARE A DRIVEN

FORCE IN 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.

WOMENS 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
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 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