Side Event at the 48th session of the Standing Committee on Copyright and Related Rights of the WIPO (SCCR/48)
Thursday, 21 May 2026 13 hs
at WIPO Headquarters (ROOM B), Geneva (In person)
(Appetizers will be offered before the start of the event)
Exceptions and Limitations have been on the agenda of the Standing Committee on Copyright and Related Rights since 2005, yet libraries, archives, educators, researchers, and people with disabilities still face legal obstacles that limit access to knowledge and culture especially across borders.
This side event will bring together diverse voices from across regions to share real-world challenges and to explore why international action is urgently needed. The discussion will highlight the practical challenges faced by the professionals and institutions we represent, the human rights dimension of access to knowledge, and the role of balanced copyright systems in supporting education, research, and cultural participation worldwide. The event will also reflect on the African Proposal as an important, unifying and solutions-oriented way forward.
Join us to rethink how global copyright rules can better serve people, creativity, and development and how the SCCR can contribute to this.
PROGRAM
Opening Remarks:
H.E. Dr. Mzukisi Qobo, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the South African Mission to the WTO and WIPO.
Panel of beneficiaries:
Grace Nyongesa, Education International representative and national chairperson of Kenya’s Universities’ Academic Staff Union (UASU).
Soledad Abarca, President of ABINIA (Association of Ibero-American National Libraries) and Director of the Chilean National Library.
Cosmas Masimo, A2K Coalition representative and lecturer at the University of Dodoma specializing in Intellectual Property and ICT law.
Eric Harbeson, Society of American Archivists (SAA).
Sara Benson, International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA)
Panel Moderator:
Carolina Botero, A2K Coalition Chair
Sponsored by the Access to Knowledge Coalition:
A global network of organizations representing educators, researchers, students, libraries, archives, museums, knowledge users, and creative communities committed to advancing equitable access to knowledge.