Exploring Commons Systems in India

Gino Cocchiaro and Kabir Bavikatte met with Dr. Krishna Ravi Srinivas of Research and Information System for Developing Countries (RIS) www.ris.org.in on the 28th of February 2010 in New Delhi. Dr. Srinivas was extremely interested in the concept of Traditional Knowledge Commons that Natural Justice has been working on and the meeting explored possibilities of collaboration between Natural Justice and RIS. Two proposals were discussed- The first was the possibility of developing a pilot Traditional Knowledge Commons between a community and the FRLHT (Foundation for the Revitalization of Local Health Traditions) in India with the first meeting in June 2010. The second was the possibility of Natural Justice and RIS putting together a panel on Traditional Knowledge Commons at the 13th Biennial Conference of the International Association for the Study of the Commons (IASC) from the 10th-14th of January 2011 in Hyderabad, India. The Conference will be hosted by the Foundation for Ecological Security (FES) whom Natural Justice contacted in India regarding presenting a paper on Traditional Knowledge Commons under the sub-theme of New Commons (Digital Commons, Genetic Commons, Patents, Music, Literature etc.)

Gino Cocchiaro and Kabir Bavikatte met with Ruchika Bahl, Director (Global) Law for All Initiative, Ashoka: Innovators for the Public in New Delhi on the 28th of February 2010. The meeting focussed on the work of Natural Justice relating to bio-cultural protocols and the possibility of providing support to some of Ashoka's fellows working on issues of community rights and the environment. The meeting also discussed the criteria for an Ashoka fellowship in the context of Natural Justice's work on bio-cultural protocols. The meeting concluded with a commitment from both Natural Justice and Ms. Bahl to continue to explore possibilities of working together in the long run.

Traditional Knowledge Commons Workshop

On December 14th and 15th 2009, Natural Justice, the International Development Law Organization, and the University of Cape Town's Intellectual Property Law and Policy Research Unit co-hosted the Traditional Knowledge Commons Workshop in Cape Town. Advocates of indigenous and local communities and experts in IP law and ABS issues, participated in this 2 day workshop to critically engage the many implementation issues an international regime on access and benefit sharing will have to contend with once it is in place. Specifically, the participants considered the unique problems presented by non-commercial research related to traditional knowledge (TK). The workshop focused on a potential TK commons model proposed as one possible mechanism for facilitating the expanded flow of benefits generated by TK-based non-commmercial research while simultaneously increasing recognition and respect of sui generis customary law. Through their insightful critiques of this potential model, the participants identified several key factors to be addressed in future work addressing the issues raised by non-commercial TK-research. Natural Justice extends its sincere gratitude to all the participants for their invaluable contributions.

Working Group on ABS

Natural Justice is at the 8th meeting of the Working Group on ABS (ABS 8) being held in Montreal. ABS 8 is addressing the nature of the regime, TK, capacity building, compliance, access and benefit sharing. Kabir Bavikatte continues to advise the African Group to ensure that the future regime is calibrated to contribute to the MDGs in Africa, including tangible environmental and social outcomes. Johanna von Braun, Elan Abrell and Harry Jonas are working within the CBD (NGO) Alliance to maintain pressure on parties to broker a comprehensive and legally binding international regime on ABS. Natural Justice will also be involved in a number of side events including on the Vilm workshop on TK, the TK commons and bio-cultural community protocols.

TK Commons Side Event

Together with the International Development Law Organization (IDLO), Natural Justice hosted a side event on the TKC. The event was introduced by Gino Cocchiaro (IDLO). Paul Odham, Lancaster University, presented on the need for a TK commons and was followed by Kabir Bavikatte who gave an overview of the functioning of the system. In the following debate, issues of compliance and trust between ILCs and the research community were highlighted.