World Intellectual Property Day is celebrated annually on April 26 to highlight the importance of intellectual property (IP) rights and to recognise the contributions of inventors, creators, and entrepreneurs to the development of society.

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This year’s theme is ‘Women and IP: Accelerating Innovation and Creativity’ which recognises the impact of women in the field of innovation and creativity.

According to Kellen Twinamatsiko, an examination analyst at the Office of the Registrar, Rwanda Development Board (RDB), data indicates that women occupy only 15 per cent of the total creative and innovative spaces in the intellectual property records in Rwanda.

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She believes this does not reflect the reality on the ground, as women are creating and contributing to the economic and social growth of the country in various ways, but only a few are able to register their ideas as their own.

Twinamatsiko emphasises the need for more awareness programmes targeting women, especially those in the informal sector, to help them understand the importance of intellectual property protection and how to secure it.

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"Intellectual property protection is crucial in safeguarding an individual or business’s ideas, inventions, and creative works. Also, it encourages participation and boosts the undeniable potential in women's abilities,” she explained.

In other words, Twinamatsiko recognises that despite the significant contributions that women make to innovation and creativity in Rwanda, they are not adequately represented in the intellectual property records. She stresses the importance of educating women on the significance of intellectual property protection and empowering them to secure their ideas and creative works.

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She also highlighted the potential for intellectual property protection to promote the participation of women in innovative and creative spaces and to drive economic and social growth in Rwanda.

On the other hand, the number of intellectual property applications in the country has been growing progressively, since the country embarked on legal reform in several sectors in 2009.

As a result, there has been an increase in the number of applications received each year, notably due to awareness programmes that helped local applicants and business people understand and appreciate the benefits of IP protection.

One of the recent incidents that sparked discussions on intellectual property rights in Rwanda is the saga surrounding the famous ‘Eleeh’ sound, which is the signature sound of music producer, Element.

An unidentified man is said to have attempted to register the sound as his own intellectual property, despite it already belonging to Element.

This incident is a reminder of the importance of understanding what intellectual property is, what the law provides, and the benefits of having it registered.

Intellectual property primarily gives its holder a competitive advantage in their commercial activities by preventing unauthorised exploitation by third parties, whether individual or institutional.

This is particularly important for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and individuals, as IP rights provide them with powerful weapons to compete with much larger companies and take action in case of infringement.

It is crucial to note that IP protection is acquired by registration, unlike copyright works like movies, books, and other artworks, which are automatically protected on creation.

This means that individuals and businesses need to actively seek protection for their intellectual property to prevent others from exploiting it without their consent.

In Rwanda, RDB IP Division is responsible for settling disputes arising from intellectual property. Any infringement of intellectual property committed wilfully or by gross negligence, by any third person for profit-making purposes and without the owner’s right consent shall constitute an act of forgery.

The RDB/IP Division provides an alternative mechanism for settling IP disputes, such as mediation. If parties cannot reach a settlement, any of them can take the matter to court.