I had the distinct honor of attending the first-ever Women in Intellectual Property Conference for the African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO) Member States, held from August 28th to 30th, 2024, at the beautiful Speke Resort Munyonyo in Kampala-Uganda.  This landmark event was organized by the African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO) in collaboration with the Intellectual Property Rights & Innovation in Africa (AfrIPI) and the Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB). The conference brought together representatives from all 22 ARIPO member countries, drawing participants from a wide array of sectors. Notable attendees included Mercy Kainobwisho, the Registrar General of URSB; Nancy Samuriwo, an IPR Expert with the AfrIPI project; Bemanya Twebaze, Director General of ARIPO; and H.E. Mr. Jan Sadek, Ambassador of the European Union to Uganda. The conference was officially inaugurated by Her Excellency Ms. Jessica Alupo, the Vice President of the Republic of Uganda.

As an entrepreneur specializing in the manufacturing of consumable products, this conference was a great experience for me. The wealth of knowledge shared was both enlightening and inspiring, and the opportunity to network with delegates from various countries, including Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Ghana, Namibia, and Tanzania, was invaluable. One particularly fruitful connection was with a delegate from Zimbabwe, who expressed keen interest in our Kim’s Natural Chili sauce and oil, underscoring the power of networking.

Over the three days, the conference presented and discussed critical aspects of Intellectual Property (IP), focusing on the unique challenges and opportunities for women in this field. We explored the African perspectives on the gender gap in IP, discussed policy mechanisms that can support women in innovation, and the significant economic impact that IP strategies can have on SMEs. The sessions on overcoming gender barriers in innovation and patenting were particularly resonant, as were the discussions on the importance of mentorship in empowering women within the IP landscape.

This experience brought to mind a workshop I attended back in 2016, organized by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and URSB which was a turning point in my understanding of IP. At that time, I was unaware of the risks associated with unprotected innovations, but that workshop fundamentally changed my approach to innovation and IP protection.