Creating space for Indigenous perspectives on access and
benefit-sharing: encouraging researcher use of the Local Contexts
Notices
Abstract
A recent Molecular Ecology editorial made a proactive statement
of support for the “Nagoya Protocol” and the principle of
benefit-sharing (Marden et al. 2020) by requiring authors to provide a
“Data Accessibility and Benefit‐Sharing Statement” in their articles.
Here, we encourage another step that enables Indigenous communities to
provide their own definitions and aspirations for access and
benefit-sharing alongside the author’s “Statement”. We invite
the Molecular Ecology research community to use Biocultural-,
Traditional Knowledge-, and Cultural Institution Notices to help
Indigenous communities gain visibility within our research structures.
Notices are one of the tools offered by the Biocultural Labels
Initiative (part of the Local Contexts system) designed specifically for
researchers and institutions. The Notices are highly visible,
machine-readable icons that signal the Indigenous provenance of genetic
resources, and rights of Indigenous communities to define the future use
of genetic resources and derived benefits. The Notices invite
collaboration with Indigenous communities and create spaces within our
research systems for them to define the provenance, protocols, and
permissions associated with genetic resources using Labels. Authors
contributing to Molecular Ecology can apply Notices to their
articles by providing the persistent unique identifier and an optional
use-statement associated with the Notice in their “Data Accessibility
and Benefit‐Sharing Statement”. In this way, our research community has
an opportunity to accelerate support for the principles of the Nagoya
Protocol, to alleviate concerns regarding Indigenous Data Sovereignty
and equitable outcomes, and to build better relationships with
Indigenous collaborators to enhance research, biodiversity, and
conservation outcomes.