In 2012, a seasoned Rwandan traditional singer sued local radio stations including the national broadcaster for illegally airing her music, a lawsuit she won. This case was controversial, raising public debate on whether the artiste was fair, claiming they were keeping her legacy alive by playing her music, and that she should instead be grateful. Others argued that instead, the lawsuit was an eye opener, because the radio stations had flouted a law that had existed for years, but largely ignored. For years, she had been deprived of her needed economic incentive for the unique and much loved music she was producing. She was claiming a total of Rwf270 million in compensation, although the court ordered the defendants to give her only a small percentage of the amount. The fact, however, remains that her Intellectual Property (IP) rights were infringed upon, and she was lucky to be aware of the law to be able to stand up for herself. Rwanda will on Wednesday April 26 join the world in celebrating World Intellectual Property Day, which will be marked under the theme: Women and IP: accelerating Innovation and Creativity. Currently, Rwanda Development Board’s IP division reports that only 15 per cent of the total creative and innovative spaces in the intellectual property records in Rwanda are occupied by women. Rwanda is not an isolated case, however, because World Intellectual Property Organization’s 2020 statistics reveal that only 16.5 percent of inventors named in international patent applications were women. Although men own disproportionately more businesses than women in Rwanda, there is a discrepancy when it comes to the IP registration. Many women are into creativity and innovation, but they are simply unaware of IP rights protection and how to secure it. If well aware, women, especially in the informal sector which more than 90 percent of them comprise, could set their business apart from competitors, they could sell their businesses, and provide an important revenue stream. If enough attention is given to informing women about IP rights, it could boost their innovation, improve their finances, and encourage competition, which would also contribute to economic growth. Strong rights protections for women’s IP could save them from losing a large portion of their incentive to create, and from their work being infringed upon. This could contribute to gender parity in the creative industry, entrepreneurship, and other sectors
