Of Seeds and Shamans: the Appropriation of the Scientific and Technical Knowledge of Indigenous and Local Communities

This article deals with an issue of special relevance to Indigenous women: the appropriation of the scientific and technical knowledge of Indigenous peoples. The purpose of the article is to present an overview of this problem and to suggest recourse by which Indigenous peoples, and largely Indigenous women, can claim the right to control access to their knowledge and resources. This article reviews the main problems Indigenous peoples face in securing their rights and presents international and domestic legal remedies. Appropriation of the genetic characteristics of the people themselves is also explored through a critique of projects such as the Convention on Biological Diversity.