The protection of authors intellectual property rights under the contemporary Namibian legal framework

Abstract

Abstract provided by author

Intellectual property rights and the protection of these rights are an essential element in recognition the works of Authors . Without the ability to prevent the unlawful copying of one's creation or enforce properly the payment of royalties for the use of a work, artists, filmmakers, musicians and songwriters would eventually find themselves without an income derived from their creativity. For a long time musical works enjoyed no legal protection and their composers suffered great injustice, Mozart died in abject poverty and was buried in a mass grave for paupers, at the same time when people all over the world were making money from performances of his works Franz Schubert the German composer died in similar poverty. His works, were, and still are, exploited and enjoyed everywhere in the world, yet all through his life he never earned enough to buy his own piano. The importance of intellectual property in today's world cannot be overstated and, indeed, it is receiving a great deal of attention worldwide to advance the cause of the rights and wrongs of the laws that promote and protect intellectual property at the national and international levels, education in intellectual property is required and must be advocated. Composers and Authors must make individuals, industries, and governments aware of the concept of Intellectual Property, and only then can they take positions on the issue in order to effect change. This paper looks at the current Namibian Legal Framework particularly copyright, its protection and lack of protection for Authors intellectual property rights.