WIPO's Answer To Traditional Knowledge Protection

Indigenous groups and other local communities are demanding protection for their Traditional Knowledge and Heritage, but is the World Intellectual Property Organization listening? Afro-Ip weblog is indebted to Dalindyebo Shababala for drawing their attention to the proposed framework for the protection of Traditional Knowledge published by CIEL and entitled “THE GAP BETWEEN INDIGENOUS PEOPLES’ DEMANDS AND WIPO’S FRAMEWORK ON TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE”. The 16 page report is available on CIEL’s website here.

"Traditional knowledge is usually perceived to belong to the ‘community’ rather than individual members of the community that take the responsibility of custodianship, use or application of the traditional knowledge. In addition, for traditional knowledge holders, protection of such knowledge encompasses the preservation and safeguarding of such knowledge to ensure its continued existence and development."

"Indigenous and other local communities have reiterated that the current IP system provides inadequate protection for their various forms of traditional knowledge and has in fact facilitated the misappropriation of their knowledge."