Lesotho will commemorate the World Intellectual Property Day (WIP Day) on the 26 April. This is an annual event, which is celebrated by all member states of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). Lesotho has been a member of WIPO since 1986. This day was established by WIPO in 2000 at its 26th Session of the General Assembly of its member states. The purpose of the celebration is to raise awareness of the importance of Intellectual Property (IP) rights in encouraging innovation and creativity.
This year the day will be celebrated under the theme “Women and IP: Accelerating Innovation and Creativity”. The theme celebrates the ‘can do’ attitude of women inventors, creators and entrepreneurs worldwide and their ground-breaking work. The world takes a pause to appreciate how women have and continue to shape our world with their ingenuity and creativity.
The day will be marked by having an open day for intellectual property at the offices of the Registrar General, in the ministry of justice, law and parliamentary affairs. Women who are nationals of Lesotho will be given advice on creativity, protection and will be provided with free Intellectual
Property services for processing their applications, using the newly implemented IPAS 4.0 platform. It is on this occasion that the Registrar General’s Office will launch the use of the IPAS 4.0. It is a software that is designed for the electronic administration of data, process and documents associated with the registration of Industrial Property applications.
With the use of IPAS 4.0. the Office of the Registrar General will provide effective services that will result in improved client satisfaction and business growth for users, because the system is fast, efficient and provides adequate and credible data at all times. The Office of the Registrar General will also hold a virtual workshop for women entrepreneurs on the …to celebrate the WIP Day. The purpose of the workshop is to sensitize women on the importance of using Intellectual
Property to create additional value for their products and services, in their different businesses across the country and beyond. All relevant stakeholders are urged to participate in the celebration of the WIP Day and take advantage of the opportunities outlined above.