Practising Indigenous Rights Education Amidst Conflict and Displacement: Know-Your-Rights Learning in Lumad Schools in the Philippines

I examine how Indigenous rights education (IRE) was practiced within Lumad schools in Mindanao, Philippines, in the context of violent conflict and displacement, situating Indigenous education in emergencies within broader debates on human rights education (HRE), decolonisation and citizenship education. I address scholarship that emphasises legal and policy dimensions of Indigenous rights while under-examining IRE in educational practice. Drawing on qualitative interviews with volunteer teachers, past learners, and community physicians, I analyse the know-your-rights learning strategy as a pedagogical approach that frames rights as inherent to Indigenous social, cultural, and relational life. Learning was enacted through embodied, dialogic, and community-based practices that involve elders, youth, community leaders, and volunteers, highlighting their historical struggles of being Indigenous in Mindanao. This study contributes to IRE, HRE and citizenship education discussions by highlighting Indigenous rights as lived, practiced and relational dimensions of education, particularly in contexts of limited state protection and displacement.