Search Results for: covid denise nicholson

International Research Organizations Support WTO TRIPS Waiver for COVID-19

Over 250 organizations and prominent researchers and experts, representing millions of researchers, educators, libraries, and support organizations globally, call for reduction of copyright barriers to COVID-19 prevention, containment and treatment. Their statement, released today, calls particular attention to the need to include copyright rules within the waiver. Supporters of the Statement are holding an online public event and press conference Monday March 22, 9am EDT / 1pm UTC.

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HOW South Africa’s COPYRIGHT BILL WOULD BENEFIT CITIZENS DURING COVID

South Africa’s Copyright Amendment Bill had been sitting on the desk of President Cyril Ramaphosa for over a year, waiting to be signed into law. But instead of signing the bill, the President returned it to parliament citing constitutional concerns with certain aspects, including new exceptions for libraries, education and persons with disabilities. If enacted, the bill would have helped teaching, learning and research during COVID-19 lockdowns. Instead South Africans are forced to struggle under the current, outdated law. EIFL guest blogger Denise R. Nicholson, Scholarly Communications Librarian, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, discusses challenges and issues.

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COVID and Copyright – Impact on Education and Libraries in South Africa

In his online newsletter, President Ramaphosa regularly speaks about unemployment, poverty and various socio-economic problems that are negatively affecting millions of people in our country. He stresses the importance of education, social upliftment and the need to improve the lives of people with disabilities. He stresses the importance of a reading culture and an employed public. He talks about the various Government initiatives and plans underway to address many of these issues. Yet, he fails to acknowledge that access to information and knowledge-sharing are key elements for socio-economic development and advancement, teaching and learning, as well as creativity and innovation in South Africa.

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SOUTH AFRICA’S COPYRIGHT AMENDMENT BILL – 5 YEARS ON

[Denise Nicholson] … On 16 June 2020, the President elected to refer the Bill back to Parliament on the grounds of “constitutional concerns”. What is very disappointing and surprising is that the President ignored a Senior Counsel’s Opinion on the Bill, sent to his office, as well as hundreds of submissions, letters, messages, and public presentations in favour of these exceptions throughout the legislative process. Instead, and perhaps under pressure, he sent the Bill back based purely on one submission to Parliament made by a Senior Counsel on behalf of his client, the Copyright Coalition of South Africa. He failed to give his own presidential reasons or opinion as to why issues raised were likely to be “unconstitutional”.

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South Africa’s Copyright Amendment Bill – one year on

On 28th March 2019, South Africa’s Copyright Amendment Bill was approved by the upper house of Parliament in South Africa, the National Council of Provinces, clearing the way for the President to sign the Bill into law. The long awaited Bill brings the 1978 Copyright Act, adopted in a pre-internet era, into the digital age – rules regarding libraries, archives, education and research had never been updated during this time. But one year on, the Bill has not been signed into law.

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