What happens to a girl’s education when conflict forces her to leave everything behind? And what might that education look like in 2035? These are questions I’ve been thinking about as I explore how technology could support learning during emergencies. Technology is already helping girls continue learning during conflict and displacement. I’m interested in how these opportunities might grow over the next decade.

It’s exciting to see organizations already finding creative ways to support children in crisis-affected communities. Since its launch, UNICEF’s Learning Passport has expanded to 51 countries, reaching 12.5 million learners and educators (United Nations Children’s Fund [UNICEF], 2026). War Child’s Can’t Wait to Learn program is another encouraging example. It uses digital games to make learning more accessible for children experiencing ongoing disruptions (War Child Alliance, 2026).

Macgilchrist et al. (2020) and Selwyn et al. (2020) remind me that the future of education involves more than technological advances. Questions about access and who gets to make decisions about how children learn are just as important. This is particularly true for girls affected by conflict and displacement.

I hope that by 2035, fewer girls will have to put their education on hold because of conflict. I would like to see flexible learning supported by strong relationships and local communities. Most importantly, I hope girls will have a greater say in their own education.


References


Macgilchrist, F., Allert, H., & Bruch, A. (2020). Students and society in the 2020s. Three future ‘histories’ of education and technology. Learning Media and Technology, 45(1), 76–89. https://doi.org/10.1080/17439884.2019.1656235

Selwyn, N., Pangrazio, L., Nemorin, S., & Perrotta, C. (2020). What might the school of 2030 be like? An exercise in social science fiction. Learning, Media and Technology, 45(1), 90–106. https://doi.org/10.1080/17439884.2019.1694944

UNICEF. (2025). Learning Passport 2025 Annual Report. https://www.unicef.org/learningpassport/reports/2025-annual-report

War Child Alliance. (2026). War Child formalises handover of its Ukraine “Can’t Wait to Learn” learning platform to Ukraine government. War Child Alliance. https://www.warchild.net/latest/article/cant-wait-to-learn-formalises-handover-of-its-ukraine-learning-platform-to-ukraine-government/