Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Property law (excl. intellectual property law)'
Create a spot-on reference in APA, MLA, Chicago, Harvard, and other styles
Consult the top 50 dissertations / theses for your research on the topic 'Property law (excl. intellectual property law).'
Next to every source in the list of references, there is an 'Add to bibliography' button. Press on it, and we will generate automatically the bibliographic reference to the chosen work in the citation style you need: APA, MLA, Harvard, Chicago, Vancouver, etc.
You can also download the full text of the academic publication as pdf and read online its abstract whenever available in the metadata.
Browse dissertations / theses on a wide variety of disciplines and organise your bibliography correctly.
Rimmer, Matthew. "The Pirate Bazaar: The Social Life of Copyright Law." Thesis, The Faculty of Law, The University of New South Wales, 2001. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/86581/1/fulltext.pdf.
Full textAntons, Christoph Hubert Jakob. "Intellectual property law in Indonesia /." The Hague [u.a.] : Kluwer Law International, 2000. http://www.gbv.de/dms/spk/sbb/recht/toc/31965043X.pdf.
Full textMoore, Adam D. "A Lockean Theory of Intellectual Property." Connect to resource, 1997. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc%5Fnum=osu1214419634.
Full textSoepboer, Mick. "Libertarian views on intellectual property law." Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 2009. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/4557.
Full textBhattacharya, Raja. "Intellectual property rights in outer space." Thesis, McGill University, 2002. http://digitool.Library.McGill.CA:80/R/?func=dbin-jump-full&object_id=78203.
Full textThis thesis deals with IP issues in international perspective (with reference, however, to some leading national IP legislation when and where it is necessary) with special reference to the contemporary legal regime governing outer space. While emphasizing the existing legal regime relating to IPRs in outer space, it explores the possibility of commercial exploitation of IPRs made in space and on ground through the existing international trade system. The increasing importance of cooperation between the World Intellectual Property Organization and World Trade Organization in this regard is also examined, against the back drop of space activities and the outer space legal regime relating to IPRs. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)
Fraessdorf, Henning. "Intellectual property in standards." Thesis, McGill University, 2002. http://digitool.Library.McGill.CA:80/R/?func=dbin-jump-full&object_id=78214.
Full textThe thesis evaluates the soundness of a general argument of standardization for weaker protection in intellectual property law. It elaborates the arguments that are put forward to justify weaker protection in standards regarding the characteristics of standards and standardization as well as the justifications for intellectual property. It analyses the applicability of trademark, copyright and patent law to both already existing as well as developing standards. In particular, the concepts of genericness and descriptiveness in trademark law, the merger and scenes a faire doctrines in copyright law and the doctrines of patent misuse and patent abuse in patent law are discussed.
Fonseca, Da Silva Antonio Carlos. "Limiting intellectual property : the competition interface." Thesis, Queen Mary, University of London, 1997. http://qmro.qmul.ac.uk/xmlui/handle/123456789/1693.
Full textKellerman, Mikhalien. "The Constitutional Property Clause and Immaterial Property Interests." Thesis, Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch, 2011. http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/6536.
Full textENGLISH ABSTRACT: The question that this dissertation addresses is which immaterial property interests may be recognised and protected under the constitutional property clause and if so, under which circumstances. The question originated in the First Certification case 1 where the court held that the constitutional property clause is wide enough to include property interests that require protection according to international norms. The traditional immaterial property interests or intellectual property rights (patents, copyright, designs and trademarks) are protected as property in private law on a sui generis basis. Since it is generally accepted that the property concept in constitutional law includes at least property rights protected in private law, it is relatively unproblematic to include intellectual property rights under the constitutional property clause. In Laugh It Off v SAB International,2 the Constitutional Court explicitly balanced the right to a trademark with the right to freedom of expression, which is accepted as authority that at least trademarks may be recognised and protected as constitutional property. The other intellectual property rights may most likely be recognised and protected by analogy. Foreign law as well as international law also indicates that intellectual property should be recognised and protected as constitutional property. However, there are other, unconventional immaterial property interests that are not protected as property in private law. Some are protected in private law, but not as property; others originate in public law; and yet others are not protected yet at all. In terms of the Constitution, South African courts may consider foreign law, but must consider international law. This dissertation determines when these interests may be protected as constitutional property by reference to foreign cases from German, American, Australian and Irish law; regional international law, namely European Union cases; and international law. The conclusion is that unconventional immaterial property interests may generally be protected if they are vested and acquired in terms of normal law, have patrimonial value and serve the general purpose of constitutional property protection. Property theories are also useful to determine when immaterial property interests deserve constitutional protection, although other theories may be more useful for some of the unconventional interests. The German scaling approach and the balancing of competing interests is a useful approach for South African courts to help determine the appropriate level of protection for specific immaterial property interests without excluding some at the outset.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die vraag waarmee hierdie verhandeling handel is of belange in immateriële goedere erken en beskerm kan word in terme van die grondwetlike eiendomsklousule en indien wel, onder watter omstandighede. Die vraag het sy ontstaan in die First Certification saak,3 waar die Grondwetlike Hof beslis het dat die eiendomsklousule se omvang wyd genoeg is om belange in eiendom in te sluit wat volgens internasionale norme beskerming verg. Sekere regte in immateriële goedere word op ’n sui generis basis in die privaatreg beskerm, naamlik die regte in tradisionele immaterieelgoederereg kategorieë of intellektuele eiendom (patente, kopiereg, ontwerpe en handelsmerke). Dit is 'n algemene beginsel van grondwetlike eiendomsreg dat die konsep van eiendom minstens belange insluit wat as eiendom in die privaatreg beskerm word. In Laugh It Off v SAB International4 het die Grondwetlike Hof 'n handelsmerkreg opgeweeg teen die reg op vryheid van uitdrukking en hierdeur implisiet erken dat minstens handelsmerke en dalk ook ander intellektuele eindemsregte deur die eiendomsklousule erken en beskerm kan word. Buitelandse reg sowel as internasionale reg dui aan dat intellektuele eiendom grondwetlike beskerming behoort te ontvang. Buiten hierdie belange is daar ook immaterieelgoederereg belange wat nie onder eiendomsreg beskerm word in die privaatreg nie. Sommige van hierdie belange word wel in die privaatreg beskerm, maar dan onder ander areas van die reg as eiendom; ander het hul oorsprong in die publiekreg; en die res word tans glad nie beskerm nie. Die Grondwet bepaal dat howe buitelandse reg in ag kan neem en dat hulle internasionale reg moet oorweeg. Die verhandeling se vraag word beantwoord met verwysing na sake uit die Duitse, Amerikaanse, Australiese en Ierse grondwetlike reg; streeks-internasionale reg van die Europese Unie; en internasionale reg. Die onkonvensionele immaterieelgoederereg belange kan oor die algemeen beskerm word as eiendom indien daar 'n gevestigde reg is, die reg in terme van gewone reg verkry is en die belang die algemene oogmerke van die grondwetlike klousule bevorder. Die teorieë oor die beskerming van eiendom is van nut om te bepaal watter belange beskerm kan word, alhoewel sekere onkonvensionele belange beter geregverdig kan word deur ander tipes teorieë. Die Duitse metode om belange op te weeg kan van besonderse nut wees vir Suid Afrikaanse howe om te bepaal watter vlak van beskerming spesifieke belange in immaterieelgoedere behoort te geniet.
Azmi, Ida Madieha Bt Abdul Ghani. "Intellectual property laws and Islam in Malaysia." Thesis, Queen Mary, University of London, 1995. http://qmro.qmul.ac.uk/xmlui/handle/123456789/1418.
Full textChung, Shang-pei. "Patents as property in Taiwanese jurisprudence : rebuilding a property model for patents." Thesis, Queen Mary, University of London, 2012. http://qmro.qmul.ac.uk/xmlui/handle/123456789/8381.
Full textPamp, Caroline. "Intellectual property in science /." Stockholm : Jure Förlag, 2010. http://www.hgu.gu.se/Files/fakultetskansli/abstract/Spikblad%20Caroline_Pamp.pdf.
Full textJohnson, Phillip Michael. "Private international law, intellectual property and the Internet." Thesis, Queen Mary, University of London, 2005. http://qmro.qmul.ac.uk/xmlui/handle/123456789/1829.
Full textAng, Steven. "The moral dimensions of intellectual property rights." Thesis, Queen Mary, University of London, 2011. http://qmro.qmul.ac.uk/xmlui/handle/123456789/9008.
Full textBornhäusser, Matthias. "The relation between intellectual property law and competition law using the example of standard essential patents." Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/9219.
Full textThe aim of this thesis is to take a closer look at the interesting relationship between patent rights and competition law. The focus will be set on European and German law. The reason for it is that the European courts already started to deal with the relation between intellectual property and competition law decades ago and have assumed a leading role in handling the anticompetitive exercise of intellectual property rights. Apart of the European focus the legal situation in South Africa will be elicited as well and, as far as possible, analysed against the background of the European situation.
Hackett, Petal Jean. "Essays on intellectual property rights policy." Thesis, University of Edinburgh, 2012. http://hdl.handle.net/1842/7934.
Full textOwens-, Richards Marilee. "The collateralisation and securitisation of intellectual property." Thesis, Queen Mary, University of London, 2017. http://qmro.qmul.ac.uk/xmlui/handle/123456789/24716.
Full textAnderson, Jane Elizabeth Law Faculty of Law UNSW. "The production of indigenous knowledge in intellectual property law." Awarded by:University of New South Wales. School of Law, 2003. http://handle.unsw.edu.au/1959.4/20491.
Full textTassano, Velaochaga Hebert Eduardo. "The convergence between competition law and intellectual property rights." Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú, 2015. http://repositorio.pucp.edu.pe/index/handle/123456789/116244.
Full textEl Instituto Nacional de Defensa de la Competencia y de la Protección de la Propiedad Intelectual (IndecopI) tiene entre sus funciones tanto la defensa de la libre competencia como la protección de la propiedad intelectual. Este diseño institucional tiene la ventaja de permitir apreciar con mayor claridad cuáles son los puntos de convergencia entre ambas materias, armonizarlos y conseguir los objetivos que tienen en común. Dentro de esta convergencia, existen temas sensibles, como el otorgamiento de licencias obligatorias, por lo que en el presente trabajo se destaca su carácter de medida excepcional y se plantea que, para considerar su otorgamiento, el Estado debe contar con un procedimiento que brinde confianza y predictibilidad a la ciudadanía y con definiciones claras sobre qué debemos entender por interés público, emergencia y seguridad nacional. Finalmente, se propone que su otorgamiento tenga justificación en un análisis costo beneficio que arroje como resultado que, en efecto, era la opción más adecuada.
Nasir, Saeed. "The evolution of global intellectual property instruments into trade related intellectual property rights (TRIPS) and its ineffectiev enforcement in the developed world a case study : a thesis submitted to Auckland University of Technology in fulfilment [sic] of the requirements of the degree of Master of Philosophy (MPhil), 2008." Click here to access this resource online, 2008. http://hdl.handle.net/10292/673.
Full textHickey, Julian James Bernard. "The taxation of intellectual property and commercially valuable knowledge." Thesis, Queen Mary, University of London, 1999. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.312820.
Full textDelicostopoulou, A. "Intellectual property rights as a barrier to world trade." Thesis, University of Exeter, 1999. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.286577.
Full textBouvet, Isabelle. "Certain aspects of intellectual property rights in outer space." Thesis, National Library of Canada = Bibliothèque nationale du Canada, 1999. http://www.collectionscanada.ca/obj/s4/f2/dsk3/ftp04/mq64265.pdf.
Full textKenneally, Michael Edward. "Intellectual Property Rights and Institutions: A Pluralist Account." Thesis, Harvard University, 2014. http://dissertations.umi.com/gsas.harvard:11509.
Full textPhilosophy
Christie, Andrew Frederick. "Intellectual property protection for the design of integrated circuits." Thesis, University of Cambridge, 1992. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.385373.
Full textDivaris, D. E. "Invention as commodity : Intellectual property and free trade." Thesis, University of Cambridge, 1986. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.383126.
Full textDavis, Tara M. "International intellectual property rights : effectiveness of incentives for enforcement." Virtual Press, 2008. http://liblink.bsu.edu/uhtbin/catkey/1390656.
Full textDepartment of Political Science
Wechs, Hatanaka Asako. "Mediation and intellectual property law : a European and comparative perspective." Thesis, Strasbourg, 2016. http://www.theses.fr/2016STRAA008.
Full textA bad compromise is better than a successful lawsuit, says an adage. Would this also applies to intellectual property disputes ? Mediation is a dispute resolution method, which is in vogue. It became subject to harmonisation in Europe under the Directive 2008/52/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 21 May 2008 on certain aspects of mediation in civil and commercial matters. In this context, the objective of the thesis is to analyse the functions performed by mediation as well as the limitations to mediate from the viewpoint of civil procedure law, contract law and intellectual property law and to present some proposals to optimise mediation to intellectual property law. A number of legal systems, institutions and dispute resolution providers will be covered with the focus on the European Union, France and the UK
Wongburanavart, Archariya. "A harmonisation of intellectual property law in EU and ASEAN." Thesis, Durham University, 2016. http://etheses.dur.ac.uk/11973/.
Full textTran, Kien. "The history of intellectual property law of Vietnam, 1945-1994." Thesis, University of Glasgow, 2015. http://theses.gla.ac.uk/6953/.
Full textSodipo, Bankole Adekunle Akintoye. "Piracy and counterfeiting : the freedom to copy vs. intellectual property rights." Thesis, Queen Mary, University of London, 1995. http://qmro.qmul.ac.uk/xmlui/handle/123456789/1674.
Full textChiarolla, Claudio. "Intellectual property and environmental protection of crop biodiversity under international law." Thesis, Queen Mary, University of London, 2009. http://qmro.qmul.ac.uk/xmlui/handle/123456789/446.
Full textPulst, Philine-Luise. "The conflict between intellectual property law and competition law in China: an analysis of Article 55 of the new Chinese anti-monopoly law and its effect on intellectual property rights." Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/4435.
Full textBarratt, Amanda. "The battle for policy space : strategic advantages of a human rights approach in international intellectual property negotiations." Doctoral thesis, University of Cape Town, 2008. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/4431.
Full textIncludes bibliographical references (leaves 310-370).
The patent system exists to encourage the development of new products from which society will benefit. The strength of protection awarded to patented products is a policy decision, allowing states to balance the monopoly rights of patent-owners against the inherent social costs of monopoly protection. The effective policy space within which states may establish domestic patent policy is increasingly circumscribed by international rules prescribing minimum protection levels regardless of local circumstances or consequences. In international negotiations, developing states have attempted to resist policy space curtailment using arguments that rely on foundational principles of the intellectual property system: its public purpose and its commitment to balancing costs and benefits. This negotiating stance has not been effective; its opponents counterargue that stronger patent protection achieves the same ends. This dissertation examines the resulting circular discussions at the 2001-2003 Doha negotiations and the WIPO Development Agenda talks since 2004. I argue that the impasse stems from an inability to move beyond the costs-benefits tension inherent in the patent system. Economists have been unable to resolve this tension by identifying optimal protection levels. Furthermore, intellectual property theory is unable to provide a bottom line at which the short-term social costs of patent monopolies must be deemed unacceptable, regardless of anticipated longerterm benefits. The developing states' negotiating stance will be strengthened if a bottom line can be identified. I argue that the International Covenant on Economic Social and Cultural Rights provides benchmarks to fulfil this function. ICESCR obligations are specific, objective, and measurable; they have international legitimacy; and they bind almost all states. I examine the Article 12 right to health to show that states violate the ICESCR if they ratify other treaties which reduce policy space and make it more difficult for states to adopt policies to meet their domestic or extraterritorial obligations. I also examine Article 15, concluding that it is insufficiently developed to offer firm guidelines. I use insights from international relations theory to examine the practical possibilities of adopting a human rights-based approach, and argue that the strategy will become progressively more effective as human rights norms are internalized through the negotiating process and by other means.
Marais, Richard. "Investigating musical copyright infringement: Examining International Understandings of Musical Copyright Infringement for Potential Adaptation into South African Copyright Law." Master's thesis, Faculty of Law, 2019. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/31006.
Full textKisuule, Yvonne Alexandra. "Least developed countries and geographical indications: how can Uganda position itself to benefit from geographical indications?" Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/15214.
Full textMathini, Moses Wanjukia. "Enforceability of digital copyright on the darknet?" Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 2018. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/28031.
Full textVan, Wiele Bram. "The ratification and implementation of the Marrakesh Treaty: a look at the future of South African Copyright Law." Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/13038.
Full textThis dissertation will analyse South African copyright law and its ability to facilitate blind, visually impaired, or otherwise print disabled people. The Marrakesh Treaty intends to promote the making and distribution of copies of, among others, books in formats accessible to visually impaired persons. South Africa did not sign this Treaty yet, intends to sign and ratify this Treaty in the future. This dissertation will analyse the current South African copyright law and policy related to visually impaired persons. To gain insight, this work will also analyse international framework, and foreign copyright law. The aim of this analysis will be to find ways of how the future of South African copyright law should look like, according to the Marrakesh Treaty, to be able to facilitate VIPs. This research also intends to expose the possible law and policy related barriers for non-ratification of the Marrakesh Treaty. Furthermore, this dissertation will analyse what the possible legal implications thereof will be. The main goal of this dissertation will be to formulate a proposal on how the Marrakesh Treaty should me implemented in South African copyright law. This proposal will take into account possible barriers or policy related issues that arise from prior research.
Musiza, Charlene Tsitsi. "Does the growth of ICT in Zimbabwe present an opportunity for effective use of intellectual property rights?" Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/16711.
Full textIn 2005 the Government of Zimbabwe adopted a National Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Policy to spur growth in the ICT sector. The idea was to transform Zimbabwe into a knowledge - based economy by 2020. This saw some synergies between stakeholders in improving ICT infrastructure. In the last decade Zimbabwe has seen growth in ICT albeit with numerous challenges. There have been innovation s in ICT which raise possible intellectual property issues. The thesis seeks to assess whether there is scope for the utilisation of intellectual property rights in some of the innovations. An exploration of the various policies that have a bearing on ICT will inform the discussion on ICT growth. The thesis will also lay out the intellectual property framework and identify rights which can be appropriated to innovations. It will identify some areas where tailoring is required to suit the system to the development needs of the country and the innovation environment. Some recommendations will be made derived from the experiences of other countries and from the survey conducted as part of the research.
Pinkepank, Felix. "Streaming Unauthorised Copyrighted Content: Copyright Liability of Streaming Platforms and Streaming Box Distributors. A Comparative EU-US-SA Perspective." Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 2018. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/29709.
Full textLamont, Kim Tracy. "Evaluating the current copyright provisions for the reproduction and dissemination of electronic educational material in distance learning." Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/15212.
Full textMudau, Sipho. "The copyright protection of online user-generated content." Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/12935.
Full textOnline social networking sites such as Facebook and YouTube allow creative works to be more easily copied and distributed. This type of content is generally referred to as user-generated content and its creation has become a major component of our daily routine. As a result, user-generated content has the potential to influence not just the nature of social interactions but methods of doing business. The advent of user-generated content poses new challenges to copyright law, the conventional medium of protecting these creative works. The global reach of the internet and the increasing ease of access thereto make infringement of original material more likely and more frequent. User-generated content is also surrounded by legal uncertainty in the areas of defamation and privacy. It is beyond the scope of this paper to deal in any depth with these issues. This dissertation will focus on the implications of user-generated content within the realm of copyright. Specifically, this paper examines whether South African copyright law, in its present state, adequately protect the rights and interests of content creators on one end and website owners and proprietors on the other. This assessment will be guided, in part, by judicial precedent and legislative policies adopted in other jurisdictions.
Lakpini, Clarence Sokolambe. "An examination of South Africa’s efforts at patent system reform: trips flexibilities fully appropriated for public health needs?" Master's thesis, Faculty of Law, 2020. https://hdl.handle.net/11427/31712.
Full textNghihalwa, Saima Litauleni. "An analysis of the registration of traditional product names, terms, symbols and other cultural expressions as trademarks in Namibia." Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/12934.
Full textProtection of traditional knowledge and traditional cultural expressions of indigenous communities is one of the most contentious and complicated issues on both international and national agendas. The historical development of the protection of intellectual property in the wake of the industrial revolution and its subsequent jurisprudential justification, based on private property rights, pushed TK and the practice based on it, outside the purview of the formal intellectual protection regime. There is substantial evidence that TK has in past decades been used in a range of industries and has accordingly led to new products as well as the development of existing products. Evidence of this can be found in the areas of special foods and beverages, the cosmetic sector, personal care, agriculture, horticulture and pharmaceuticals. Industries sometimes make use of this knowledge to formulate new products, which they do in a slightly different manner so as to market the products as their own. Currently, there are certain products in Namibia that use the traditional terms of products as trademarks. Despite the fact that some of these terms are not registered with the Ministry of Trade and Industries, these owners enjoy common law protection under trademark law. This is especially so for well-known products such as Omaere milk, which is a product of the Namibia Dairies (Pty) Ltd. The term Omaere is used by the OvaHerero and OvaHimba speaking communities of Namibia and Botswana to refer to traditionally processed curdled milk. The Namibian Dairies (Pty) Ltd has been making use of this name for one of their curdled milk products for more than 15 years. During this period the company has done such excessive marketing of the product that this name has come to be regarded as their trademark. Reviewing it from this perspective, one can conclude that no-one else could use this name to refer to their milk products, as it has come to be considered as a product of the Namibia Dairies.
Stowell, Catherine Leigh. "The shifting nexus between law and biology : what does the future hold for gene patents?" Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 2011. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/12680.
Full textJungmann, Nina. "Comparative advertising between the conflicting priorities of fair competition, trademark holder's rights and consumer information under South African law compared to the European and German approach on this issue." Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 2016. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/20877.
Full textKirk, Katie. "The legal and political imperatives for proposed amendments of the South African Patents Act to implement TRIPS flexibilities and enhance the framework for access to medicines." Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 2012. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/13874.
Full textA multitude of factors affect the ability of South Africans to access the essential medicines, intellectual property (IP) is one of them. This dissertation considers some of opportunities open to South Africa through international IP flexibilities, which are aimed at safeguarding public health rights against the sometimes access-restricting effects of patent right monopolies. Potential pitfalls are also highlighted, noting strategies for South Africa to avoid the worst of them. The paper begins by giving an overview of the way in which patents affect access to medicines, and contending that the time for making the proposed amendments is now.
Mwangi, Perpetua Njeri. "Intellectual property rights protection of publicly financed research and development outcomes: lessons Kenya can learn from the United States of America and South Africa." Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/15213.
Full textNdungu, Martha Wanjiru. "Employee rights over inventions and innovations in employment in Kenya." Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 2016. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/20817.
Full textHellemeier, Gisa. ""Piracy" in regard to ITV, IPTV and Mobile-Television." Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 2016. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/20878.
Full textVilho, Aina N. "A critical analysis of the protection of traditional knowledge within the Namibian legal system." Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/13036.
Full textNamibia is well known for its unique climate and ecological profile hence its biodiversity, which comprises wild and cultivated species and varieties. The country’s relative isolation has contributed to the maintenance of a unique genetic resource base. There are many naturally occurring plants and animals that have been used since time immemorial by local people as a source of food security, primary health and for their general livelihood, which could be exploited for commercial purposes. There is a growing international interest in bio trade with, and bio prospecting in, Namibia. This paper examines Traditional Knowledge (TK) and Intellectual Property Rights (IPR’s)6within the Namibian context. It further examines whether the protection under the current Namibian intellectual property (IP) framework sufficiently protects all types of indigenous TK against exploitation. The rationale for the examination stems from a draft policy on ‘Access to Genetic Resources and the Protection of Associated Traditional Knowledge’. There is little knowledge about the genetic resources that have left Namibia, those that are still here, and their biological and conservation status. The associated problems, concerns and threats underscore the need for policies and legislation to regulate access to genetic resources, to protect TK and practices, and to facilitate the equitable sharing of benefits from the use of genetic resources.