The gender gap in intellectual property in Latin America and Iberia: the case of patents

Abstract

The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) indicates two important gender gaps in the field of Intellectual Property (IP): 1) the difference between men and women in IP registry figures; 2) the significant concentration of IP registries in less than 20 countries. This study analyses the status of IP registered by women in the countries of Latin America (LATAM) and Iberia (IBER, Spain and Portugal) in comparison to the rest of the world. Given that there is scarce literature on IP sourcing from a gender perspective, a qualitative and quantitative analysis is offered in this research as an attempt to close this gap. The qualitative analysis is based on a comprehensive desk research on various documentary sources, while the quantitative research is based on official data from the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) of the United Nations (UN). Findings indicate that women bring instrumental contribution to IP in Latin America and Iberia. However, since their achievements still remain unnoticeable, relevant policies and incentives will be necessary to close this gap.