A lifeline to learning: leveraging technology to support education for refugees

Over 65 million individuals were forcibly displaced worldwide in 2016 due to persecution, conflicts, violence or human rights violations, presenting the highest levels of displacement on record since the end of the Second World War. Among them are nearly 22.5 million refugees (people who fled their countries to seek protection elsewhere), over half of whom are under the age of 18. The repercussions for education are severe and profound. The Sustainable Development Goals will not be achieved by 2030 if refugees and displaced populations are left without access to equitable and inclusive...  [+] Show more

Over 65 million individuals were forcibly displaced worldwide in 2016 due to persecution, conflicts, violence or human rights violations, presenting the highest levels of displacement on record since the end of the Second World War. Among them are nearly 22.5 million refugees (people who fled their countries to seek protection elsewhere), over half of whom are under the age of 18. The repercussions for education are severe and profound. The Sustainable Development Goals will not be achieved by 2030 if refugees and displaced populations are left without access to equitable and inclusive quality education and lifelong learning opportunities. In response to this need, individuals and organizations are attempting to leverage mobile phones, the most widely available technology in refugees' hands, to enable quick educational responses and sustainable interventions.

This publication examines the evidence base for key assumptions on using mobile technology to address individual refugees' learning challenges, broader education system challenges, and challenges to providing refugees with specific levels and types of education. The report presents findings from a review of 117 relevant papers and reports, and lessons drawn from the implementation of 52 projects that use mobile learning for refugees and the actual use of 35 digital apps or platforms. While acknowledging a limited reach, the report identifies effective mobile solutions and organizational strategies that should be scaled up.

Excerpt from publication.