United Nations Human Rights Council Forum on Minority Issues Fourth Session Geneva, 29-30 November 2011 Agenda 6 BEST PRACTICES : ON REENERGIZING AND EMPOWERING COMMUNITIES THROUGH SCHOOLS FOR LIVING TRADITION A GUARANTEE FOR MINORITY WOMEN’S PARTICIPATION IN ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND CULTURAL LIFE 1. The Lumah Ma Dilaut is grassroot-based organizations in the Philippines that believes that community empowerment must be inseparably linked to strengthening its knowledge system - the very foundation of society. Through alternative learning system or Schools of Living Tradition, it ensures that indigenous knowledge and traditional wisdom of Sama ethnic and Muslim minority community is handed down from generation to generation. For instance, mother-to-daughter transfer of skills happen in a culture-bound and values-based curriculum designed for life-long learning. 2. Since 2005, in the Philippines, concerted efforts of education rights advocates and civil society network working on educational reforms have been supporting Alternative learning system (ALS) and schools for living traditions as strategies in the campaign for Education for All (EFA) and the Millenium Development Goals. 3. In response, Philippine government has legislated important laws and implemented programs to insitutionalize the ALS. The Department of Education has since upgraded the ‘Non-Formal Education’ program and created a Bureau of Alternative Learning System. DEPED now also recognizes indigenous people’s schools and support programs for strengthening grassroot-operated Schools for Living Tradition through the National Commission on Culture and the Arts (NCCA). 4. Indeed, tradition and culture are important ingredients of diversity. 5. Thus, it is with regret that we noted that while General Recommendation 30 talks about measures to eliminate harmful traditional and cultural practices, it is silent about preserving positive and life-affirming values. 6. Culture and traditions too have their own positive histories, although those of women were unfortunately writen-off, silenced and coopted by dominant structures and patriarchy. 7. In SEA there is a matrilineal matriarchal society of Minangkabaw in Sumatra; the Bugis of Sulawesi and Kalimantan has traditions of bissu and feminine priestesses; in the Philippines, Mindanawon Moro, Lumad and Visayan traditions revered the Baylan, Pandita and Panday. All across the archipelago, to these days,