WELLINGTON, April 26 (Xinhua) -- The World Intellectual Property (IP) Day was marked in New Zealand on Thursday with an event giving center stage to women known for their innovation and creativity.

World IP day is a good time to highlight the importance of intellectual property and its role in New Zealand's economic development, Minister of Commerce and Consumer Affairs Kris Faafoi said in a statement.

"From re-using waste to create new products to building sensors to create healthier homes, these women will continue to create ground-breaking innovations in the coming years. They will inspire new innovation, and, I hope, lead more women into creative, rewarding new endeavors," Faafoi said.

New Zealand has continued to take a prominent role in IP, with the Intellectual Property Office of New Zealand (IPONZ) recently ranked for the second year running as number one in the world for its online capabilities by well-known industry publication World Trademark Review.

"This means that protecting ideas by registering patents, trademarks, industrial designs and plant variety rights with IPONZ is easier than ever, and businesses can turn their focus to realizing the potential of their innovations," he said.

World IP Day is an international initiative by the World Intellectual Property Organization to celebrate the role of intellectual property, with this year's focus being women in innovation.