Training of copyright and related rights in sub-saharan Africa

Abstract

Training of intellectual property rights has been close to the heart of Professor Marianne Levin and she has been a Master Trainer, welcoming participants from all corners of the world. This is why I have chosen the topic of training for my article, congratulating her on her anniversary. Understanding how international copyright law and realities on the ground affect the functioning of the copyright market in a given country or region, offers a possibility to review and evaluate developments. A well-functioning copyright market consists of three elements: legislation, enforcement and management of copyright and related rights. This article concentrates on management of rights, but deals also with some legislative and enforcement issues. Management of rights takes place either individually by the respective rightsholder or by collective management organizations (CMOs). The latter is a feasible solution when individual exercise of rights is either impossible or impracticable.