The Challenge of Attribution and Origin: Traditional Knowledge and Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS)

June 11, 2020 – 11:00 EST

This event is part of the Voices for BioJustices webinar series
Benefit sharing and traditional knowledge: unsolved dilemmas for implementation

Conveners: Graham Dutfield, Rachel Wynberg, and Sarah Laird
Co-convened with the Swift Foundation
Moderator: Rachel Wynberg

Coordination: Gabriela Alvarez and Jaci van Niekerk

Click here to watch the webinar’s recording.

Summary

International, regional and national policies increasingly recognise the rights of traditional knowledge holders and the importance of measures to address biopiracy concerns. However, after almost 30 years of exploring benefit sharing from traditional knowledge associated with genetic resources, few benefits as conceived under the Convention on Biological Diversity and Nagoya Protocol have resulted for indigenous and local communities.

While there are many contributing factors, this webinar focuses on one: the challenges of identifying the attribution or origin of traditional knowledge, including the question of who has “priority” over others for any benefits that are shared.

The complexity and attention that these issues require is not easily dealt with at a policy level. It requires comprehensive social research, savvy policy-makers, and considerable political maneuvering. The answers are not always appetizing and do not have mass political appeal. Nor do they have easily implementable solutions. This webinar provides a platform to discuss these issues and identify alternative approaches for equity and social justice.

We invite you to download the The Challenge of Attribution and Origin: Traditional Knowledge and Access and Benefit Sharing policy brief and to watch the Voices for BioJustice video series on the topic, in which we explore these issues in more depth with a range of individuals.

Overview video introducing the topics covered in the webinar.

Programme

• Introduction.
  Rachel Wynberg, Moderator – Bioeconomy Research Chair. Department of Environmental and Geographical Science, University of Cape Town.
• The traditional knowledge attribution/origin problem: implications for benefit sharing.
  Graham Dutfield – Professor of International Governance. Programme Manager, LLM in Intellectual Property Law. School of Law, University of Leeds.
• Severed Connections and Silenced Voices – The Complexities of ‘Tradition’ in Rooibos Knowledge.
  Sarah Ives – School of Behavioral Sciences, Social Sciences, and Multicultural Studies, City College of San Francisco.
• Q&A session.

Panel:

• Rachel Wynberg, Moderator – Bioeconomy Research Chair. Department of Environmental and Geographical Science, University of Cape Town.
• Graham Dutfield – Professor of International Governance. Programme Manager, LLM in Intellectual Property Law. School of Law, University of Leeds.
• Sarah Ives – School of Behavioral Sciences, Social Sciences, and Multicultural Studies, City College of San Francisco.
• Siva Thambisetty – Associate Professor in Intellectual Property Law. London School of Economics and Political Science.
• Alejandro Argumedo – Swift Foundation.
• Sthembile Ndwandwe – Department of Environmental & Geographical Science. University of Cape Town.

For further information contact Gabriela Alvarez: coordinator@peopleandplants.org