Digitization, intellectual property rights and access to traditional medicine knowledge in developing countries : the Nigerian experience; a research paper prepared for the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Ottawa, Canada
Date
2009
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IDRC, Ottawa, ON, CA
Abstract
“Sui generis” legislation would ensure equitable access to traditional medicine knowledge. The details of sui generis protection are discussed in detail in this research paper. Regarding conventional intellectual property rights (IPR) and traditional medicine knowledge, the concepts of copyright and individual rights to privately own and control information are at odds with traditional notions that knowledge is collectively owned and shared. A better framework would preserve the communal rights characteristic of traditional knowledge, enhance access to traditional knowledge for scientific discovery and innovation, while at the same time granting traditional communities’ equitable access to commercial benefits.
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Keywords
TRADITIONAL CULTURE, ORAL TRADITION, INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE, CONSERVATION OF CULTURAL HERITAGE, NIGERIA, INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS, BIODIVERSITY, COMMON POOL RESOURCES, COLLECTIVE OWNERSHIP, SOUTH OF SAHARA