The Working Group on the Intellectual Property Aspects of Folklore Protection that had met in Geneva from 7 to 9 January 1980 had recommended that both Secretariats endeavour to inventory possible ways and means of protecting folklore at the regional level.
In order to give effect to that recommendation, and in accordance with the approved programmes and budgets of Unesco and WIPO for 1981-1983 and 1982-1983 respectively, these two organizations convened three Committees of Experts on the means of implementation at the regional level of model provisions of national legislation on the intellectual property aspects of folklore protection.
These regional Committees of Experts met in Bogotá (14 to 16 October 1981), New Delhi (31 January to 2 February 1983) and Dakar (23 to 25 February 1983).
The Dakar Committee of Experts stressed the value of elaborating an international instrument for the protection of expressions of folklore against illicit exploitation and other prejudicial actions,
The three Committees also formulated a number of suggestions with a view to implementing in each of the three regions considered the ‘Model provisions for national laws on the protection of expressions of folklore against illicit exploitation and other prejudicial actions’.

Documents

• Agenda
  UNESCO/WIPO/FOLK/AFR/1: English
• Draft report
  UNESCO/WIPO/FOLK/AFR/3: English
• Model provisions for national laws on the protection of expressions of folklore against illicit exploitation and other prejudicial actions, with a commentary
  UNESCO/WIPO/FOLK/AFR/2: English
• Report
  UNESCO/WIPO/FOLK/AFR/4: English