IP Protection of Traditional Cultural Expressions in India and South Africa- A Comparative Study

Abstract

The idea of protecting folklore could be traced back in the early 1970's. In 1973, the Government of Bolivia submitted to the Director-General of UNESCO by requesting that UNESCO begin to examine the state of folklore and make a proposal for an addition to the Universal Copyright Conventon. The initiative to protect folklore reflects the more widely felt need in the developing countries to draw new intellectual strength from the country's own unique, freely developed folk traditon once the country becomes from its colonial ties.