21st-century David and Goliath

The recent Nestle patent challenge by Natural Justice and the Berne Declaration has been highlighted as an exemplary case of civil society's efforts to expose the malpractices of multinational corporations. "A Story of David versus Goliath", released on July 2nd by the South African Civil Society Information Service, notes the critical role of modern-day "media guerrilla warfare" in promoting transparency and accountability, particularly against a backdrop of companies' well-resourced and far-reaching public relations campaigns. The article acknowledges the difficulties of raising awareness of "biopiracy" when its implications and consequences are rarely visible to the public eye.