Author Information
Author: Ofonmbuk Esther Ekong
Institution: Faculty of Law, University of Ottawa, Canada
Paper Details
Title: The Role of Intellectual Property Rights as a Development Tool for Women Entrepreneurs in Third World Countries: The Case of the Cosmetics Sector in Nigeria
Author: Ofonmbuk Esther Ekong
Type: Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Thesis
Institution: University of Ottawa
Year: 2023
Subject Area: Intellectual Property, Women Entrepreneurship, Development
Overview
This thesis examines whether intellectual property rights (IPRs) can support the socioeconomic development of women entrepreneurs in Third World countries, using Nigeria’s cosmetics sector as a case study. It critically analyzes how the current IP system interacts with gender, informal economies, and entrepreneurship.
Main Areas Discussed
- Intellectual property and women entrepreneurship
- Trademarks and informal IP practices
- Cosmetics industry in Nigeria
- Gender inequality in IP systems
- Informal and semi-formal knowledge protection
- Intersectionality and development
- TWAIL (Third World Approaches to International Law)
- Feminist legal theory
Key Themes
- Gender and intellectual property
- Informal economy and innovation
- Women entrepreneurship in Nigeria
- IP law and development
- Structural inequality in global IP systems
Suggested Citation
Ekong, Ofonmbuk Esther
The Role of Intellectual Property Rights as a Development Tool for Women Entrepreneurs in Third World Countries: The Case of the Cosmetics Sector in Nigeria
PhD Thesis, University of Ottawa, 2023
