Guideline and Toolkit for Access and Benefit Sharing of Traditional Knowledge Associated with Genetic Resources in Rwanda: Information for Providers, Users, and Regulatory Institutions

This guideline and toolkit are specifically intended to support access to traditional knowledge (hereafter referred to as aTK) associated with genetic resources (hereafter referred to as GR) and the equitable sharing of benefits arising from the use of aTK in Rwanda. This document is intended to raise awareness about the Nagoya Protocol and Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) procedures in Rwanda, and will help the intended audiences (stakeholders: providers of GR and aTK, users of GR and aTK, and regulators) to understand the legal requirements and procedures related to ABS, the legal rights, and guidance for negotiating Prior Informed Consent (PIC), the process for requesting access, areas of negotiation, and Mutually Agreed Terms (MAT) for benefit sharing. The guideline is embedded within the toolkit for Rwanda which includes in depth background, purpose and review of legal frameworks in Rwanda and internationally, in order to increase awareness of the basic principles and concepts of the Nagoya Protocol and ABS and their context in Rwanda.