9
WIPR Influential Women in IP 2019
www.worldipreview.com
than half (52%) of the total amount. This is quite
a jump from 1986, when women accounted for less
than one third of participants.
WIPO has also been collaborating with L’Oréal-
UNESCO for its Women in Science programme,
to empower outstanding women scientists with IP
knowledge.
There is still much work to do, within WIPO and
in each of its 191 member states.
It’s taken more than 36 years to get to 36%
participation of women delegates at the WIPO
Assemblies. If this trend continues, gender parity
won’t be achieved until 2035.
Now, WIPO is urging country leaders to “bend
the trend” and make gender parity a reality sooner,
by implementing actions such as quotas and
enforcement mechanisms to ensure compliance.
WIPO’s push for awareness seems to be having
an effect—in November 2018, WIPO’s committee
on development and IP adopted a decision on
women and IP, acknowledging the importance of
incorporating a gender perspective into IP, the first
time a decision of this kind has been adopted.
Gurry concludes: “We will continue to do our
best in the field of IP to help rectify imbalances and
ensure that women are afforded equal access to the
IP system.” l
2017
4,318
2010
4,045
2003
2,893
32,000
the number of women
the WIPO Academy
supported in its distance
learning programmes
in 2017
WIPO Interview
THE TOP 10 INDUSTRIES WITH THE
HIGHEST SHARE OF PCT APPLICATIONS
WITH WOMEN INVENTORS
58% 47%
56% 46%
55% 40%
51% 39%
51%
35%
Biotechnology
Pharmaceuticals
Organic fine chemistry
Food chemistry
2.9%
3.3%
7.1%
9.6%
12.3%
4.9%
Share with only women inventors
Share with a majority of women inventors
Analysis of biological
materials
Basic materials
chemistry
Macromolecular
chemistry, polymers
Micro-structural and
nano-technology
Digital communication
Semiconductors
Participation of women inventors in PCT
applications from the government and
public research organisation sector