In a groundbreaking initiative for Latin America, 32 individuals from the Reynaldo Villalobos Comprehensive Care Unit, a Costa Rican prison unit, have completed specialized training in Intellectual Property (IP), marking a significant milestone in social reintegration through entrepreneurship. This innovative program, the first of its kind in Latin America’s penitentiary system, was delivered through the Training Institutions Program of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Academy in collaboration with WIPO’s Latin American and Caribbean division.
The program emerged from the visionary initiative of Minister of Justice and Peace, Gerald Campos Valverde, and was coordinated through the National Registry of Costa Rica. Under the expert guidance of WIPO advisor and Eproint partner Carlos Corrales, participants received comprehensive training through workshops and personalized mentoring, focusing on leveraging intellectual property to create sustainable business opportunities.
This pioneering project, titled “Use of Intellectual Property (IP) to promote the entrepreneurship of people in the process of Social Insertion in Costa Rica,” represents a innovative approach to rehabilitation and social reintegration. The program equips participants with practical knowledge and tools to protect and monetize their intellectual property, enabling them to build legitimate business ventures upon their reintegration into society.
The graduation ceremony was attended by distinguished officials including Vice Minister of Justice Juan Carlos Arias Agüero, WIPO Latin American Training Institutions Program Project Coordinator Tomás Montenegro, Director of the General Directorate of Social Adaptation Alexander Bolaños Córdoba, and Deputy Director of the National Registry Karla Montero Soto.
During the ceremony, Vice Minister Arias highlighted the historical significance of the program, stating, “Having come from a context of vulnerability, reaching a process of execution of the sentence, complying with a care plan, harboring hope again and moving forward to get here, where they believe in these strategies and be part of them, means a historic milestone.” His words underscored the transformative potential of this initiative in breaking the cycle of recidivism through education and entrepreneurship.
The success of this pilot program has sparked discussions among authorities about expanding similar training initiatives to other care centers within the penitentiary system. This expansion would further contribute to Costa Rica’s commitment to innovative rehabilitation approaches and social reintegration strategies.
The program stands as a testament to the power of collaboration between international organizations, government institutions, and private sector expertise in creating meaningful pathways for social reintegration through intellectual property education and entrepreneurship support.
