Counselor Amal Ammar, President of the National Council for Women (NCW), met with Dr. Hesham Azmy, President of the Egyptian Authority for Intellectual Property (EAIP), to discuss avenues for collaboration on empowering women through intellectual property (IP) rights and the role of IP in supporting women-led crafts and entrepreneurship.
The meeting brought together senior officials from both entities, including Dr. Mona Yehia, Deputy President of the EAIP, and several NCW directors and legal and technical experts.
Preserving Women’s Cultural Heritage Through IP
Counselor Amal Ammar welcomed Dr. Azmy and highlighted the Council’s ongoing efforts to document and preserve the cultural heritage of Egyptian women, particularly in traditional crafts. She praised the successful collaboration with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) that led to the first collective trademark registration in Egypt for a heritage craft: “Tally Shandaweel”, a traditional hand embroidery from Sohag Governorate.
“This milestone not only protects the intellectual property of local artisans but also empowers women economically and promotes Egypt’s intangible cultural heritage,” Ammar stated. She called for expanding such initiatives to document and register additional women-led crafts across Egypt.
Advancing National IP Strategy
Dr. Azmy thanked Counselor Ammar for her leadership and emphasized the vital role women play in Egypt’s development. He applauded the Council’s efforts in fostering female entrepreneurship and creativity, and outlined the National Intellectual Property Strategy. He noted that the recent establishment of the EAIP has unified all relevant IP bodies under one institutional framework, enhancing coordination and efficiency.
“We look forward to strengthening our collaboration with the NCW to ensure that women’s contributions to innovation, culture, and entrepreneurship are fully recognized and protected under Egypt’s evolving IP ecosystem,” Azmy said.
Highlighting Egypt’s International Recognition
Participants also praised the Council’s recent recognition at the 65th session of the WIPO General Assemblies in Geneva, where Egypt showcased its pioneering project, “Intellectual Property and Women’s Entrepreneurship: Empowering Women in Local Communities through Collective Marks”. The project highlighted the success of the “Tally Shandaweel” brand, with traditional products presented in an exhibition and fashion show featuring designs from Sohag.
Next Steps for Collaboration
The meeting concluded with a review of planned joint activities for the coming period. Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to deepening cooperation to support Egyptian women in innovation and entrepreneurship, enhance their IP awareness, and ensure they benefit from legal protection for their creative outputs.
