Articles for Marcus Low

Patents must serve the public interest

Thousands of people in South Africa have drug-resistant tuberculosis (TB). Many of them will die. Death from TB can be slow and horrible. Many of those who do survive will struggle with severe side effects and may need daily pills and injections. Some, like 23-year old Phumeza who described her experience of TB treatment at a Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) press conference last week, will live, but lose their hearing.

Marcus Low

Opinion | 24 October 2013

How a patent is blocking access to a life-saving TB medicine

Thousands of people in South Africa have drug-resistant tuberculosis (TB). Many of them will die. Death from TB can be slow and horrible. Many of those who do survive will struggle with severe side effects and may need daily pills and injections. Some, like 23-year old Phumeza who described her experience of TB treatment at a Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) press conference last week, will live, but lose their hearing.

Marcus Low

Opinion | 23 October 2013

Blind sidelined by Department of Trade and Industry

South Africa’s draft intellectual property policy fails to make any mention of the most progressive copyright treaty in years. Blind and visually impaired people will pay the price if this is not rectified in the final policy.

Marcus Low

Opinion | 2 October 2013

Dancing and tears greet book treaty for blind

On 22 June a treaty for the blind was heading for disaster as negotiators stalled and refused to budge on hardline positions. Three days later a negotiator stepped out of a boardroom in the Atlas Medina hotel in Marrakesh and announced to a crowd of tense and exhausted observers, "We have a text!" The tears and dancing that followed is hardly what you’d associate with the making of international law.

Marcus Low

Opinion | 3 July 2013

Interview with Lauren Beukes

Cape Town-based writer Lauren Beukes won the 2011 Arthur C. Clarke Award for her novel Zoo City. Her new novel, The Shining Girls, is receiving rave reviews and is set to make best-seller lists around the world. Marcus Low talked to her about her writing and about the links between speculative fiction and real-world social issues.

Marcus Low

News | 15 May 2013

Ending the book famine for the blind

A treaty that has the potential to change the lives of millions of blind people is at risk of being hijacked by publishers who show no sympathy for the difficulties faced by blind people across the world

Marcus Low

Opinion | 10 April 2013

Documentary shows Sonke’s struggle

Marcus Low reviews a new documentary about the work of Sonke Gender Justice, You Can't Just Fold Your Arms.

Marcus Low

Opinion | 20 June 2012