CBD and TRIPS: Empowering Knowledge - Rich, Economically Poor People through IPR Reforms

The discussion in the recent COP 8 (Conference of Parties) meeting ending on March 31, 2006, the subject of Prior Informed Consent and protection of intellectual property rights of knowledge holders remained very contentious. I discuss various kinds of incentives that need to be provided for protecting the IPRs of local communities and individual knowledge holders, innovators without undermining the goal of people to people learning. The policy reforms are suggested in primarily five areas viz., registry of innovation and traditional knowledge. Prior Informed Consent, disclosure requirement, licensing and other issues relating to collecting societies (collective rights of innovators), etc. It is hoped that the deliberation of the next meeting of the Article 8J working group prior to COP 9 would draw upon these lessons and incorporate the same in the discussion.