A groundbreaking new international treaty holds great promise for protecting Indigenous Peoples’ traditional knowledge about plants and animals from misappropriation and biopiracy. The World Intellectual Property Organization Treaty on Intellectual Property, Genetic Resources and Associated Traditional Knowledge (GRATK Treaty) was adopted in 2024. Attention now turns to fostering awareness and implementation of the GRATK Treaty in Tribal, federal, and international venues.
Toward those goals, The Implementation Project is pleased to share our new publication, “Raising Awareness and Advancing Implementation: The WIPO Treaty on Intellectual Property, Genetic Resources & Associated Traditional Knowledge.”
Building from a 2026 workshop, this Workshop Outcome Document features insights from the NCAI President, traditional practitioners, Tribal leaders, and lawyers. It extends the conversation internationally by reflecting on engagements with several Ambassadors, United Nations experts, WIPO professionals, and others who are deeply engaged in advocacy and diplomacy regarding the Treaty.
We thank Heidi Todacheene, Founder and Principal of IndigiNational Strategies, and Hannah Ahders, Former AILP Fellow at Colorado Law, and all participants for their contributions.