Indigenous Heritage and Self-Determination: The Cultural and Intellectual Property Rights of Indigenous Peoples

This book aims to examine and critically analyse the possible legal mechanisms and processes which could be used by indigenous peoples in the protection and management of their cultural and intellectual property. This IWGIA document studies the historic and legal context in which the debate on the rights of indigenous peoples has developed and analyses mechanisms such as the Convention on Biological Diversity and the Agreement on TRIPS. Finally, the work analyses the alternative proposed legal models, culminating in a discussion on the possible courses of action which indigenous peoples could take in order to improve the levels of protection and management available to them regarding their cultural and intellectual property.