Indigenous Knowledge Forum

Garuwanga: Forming a Competent Authority to Protect Indigenous Knowledge

About

This project builds upon the work conducted in initial project Recognising and Protecting Indigenous Knowledge Associated with Natural Resource Management and will focus on the development of a Competent Authority to govern and administer a legal framework for the protection of traditional knowledge. This project has been funded by the Australian Research Council Linkage Grant Scheme and will be carried out over 3 years commencing July 2016.

ARC Project Abstract

This project will work with the Aboriginal Community to identify, evaluate and recommend an appropriate Competent Authority legal structure so Australia can meet the requirements of the Nagoya Protocol. This Protocol calls for a Competent Authority to govern and administer a framework that ensures Indigenous communities’ informed consent is obtained for access to their traditional knowledge, and that establishes fair and equitable benefit-sharing mechanisms for use of that knowledge. This project will work with the Indigenous community to address concerns over the form, independence and funding of the Authority so Indigenous knowledge and culture can be protected and shared.

Investigators and Partner Organisations