Sui Generis Seminar, Sabah, Malaysia

Natural Justice took part in a seminar on ABS, Traditional Knowledge and Sui Generis Systems, organized by the Global Diversity Foundation in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia. The one day event is part of a seminar series exploring issues relating to conservation, customary uses of natural resources and legal frameworks, and included presentations from Dr Abdul Fatah (Sabah Biodiversity Centre), Professor Gurdial S. Nijar (Centre for Excellence in Biodiversity Law), Jannie Lasimbang (PACOS), and Kabir and Harry from Natural Justice. Holly Shrumm and Gino Cocchiaro were also at the event attended by community members, NGOs, researchers, government officials and students, among others. The seminar was intended to provide input to the draft ABS regulations being developed by the Sabah Biodiversity Centre, specifically with regard to how best to balance the promotion of biotechnology research, the conservation of biodiversity, the protection on traditional knowledge and communities' rights to the customary uses of their natural resources. See the Centre's website for more information.