Unicef Panel: Learning Without Boundaries: Advancing Education Access While Protecting Children in Learning
Access to quality education is not merely a fundamental right, it is a cornerstone of child development that must exist within safe, supportive environments. Yet violence remains a critical barrier, with 246 million children experiencing harassment, discrimination, and abuse in and around schools, costing an estimated $11 trillion in lost lifetime earnings globally. This violence increasingly transcends physical spaces into digital realms, creating a dangerous continuum that threatens children’s wellbeing and learning outcomes.
The convergence of education access, digital (including AI) advancement, and learning in safe spaces presents both opportunities and challenges. While technology can expand educational reach, it must be implemented responsibly, with governments establishing evidence-based policies and cross-sectoral collaboration. UNICEF's work on Safe to Learn and on digital education supports governments and education systems, including the private sector and civil society, to create violence-free learning environments, with a vision to leverage technology-driven solutions to empower educators, support student-centred pedagogies, and improve learning outcomes. Rapid technology adoption must be balanced with human-centred skills development—particularly critical thinking, teamwork, empathy, and creativity, ensuring children can navigate an increasingly complex world safely and effectively.
Speakers
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Muzoon AlmellehanSyrian Refugee, Education Advocate and Goodwill Ambassador, UNICEFMuzoon Almellehan
Syrian Refugee, Education Advocate and Goodwill Ambassador, UNICEF
Muzoon Almellehan, 27, is a Syrian refugee and education advocate. Muzoon has been campaigning for children’s education in emergencies since she was forced to flee Syria in 2013 with her family. Muzoon started her campaign in Jordan, where she was living as a refugee in camps for three years, including 18 months in Za’atari. As part of a UNICEF-supported back-to-school campaign, she first advocated for more girls to go to school in August 2013 and went from tent to tent speaking with parents of children who were at risk of child marriage or early labor. Over the next two and a half years she became synonymous with standing up for the rights of children, particularly girls, to stay in or go back to school. Muzoon now lives in Newcastle, United Kingdom, with her family, and is a graduate of Newcastle University. She is the first UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador who is a refugee and offers a powerful, credible, authentic voice on education in emergencies. Muzoon has traveled with UNICEF to Chad, Jordan and Mali where she has met children impacted by conflict and advocated for their rights. Muzoon has received the following awards and honors: Dresden Peace Prize 2020, Cle de Peau Power of Radiance award 2019, BBC’s list of 100 influential and inspirational women in 2017, TIME’s 30 Most Influential Teens of 2017, Teen Vogue’s 21 Under 21 Class of 2017 and a 2017 Glamour Women of the Year Award. In 2019 Muzoon was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Laws from Glasgow Caledonian University.
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Pia Rebello BrittoGlobal Director of Education and Adolescent Development, UNICEFPia Rebello Britto
Counsellor
Global Director of Education and Adolescent Development, UNICEF
Pia Rebello Britto was appointed the Global Director of Education and Adolescent Development at UNICEF in August 2024. In this role, she provides strategic vision and leadership for UNICEF's education and adolescent development programmes, overseeing the development of policies, strategies, and guidance to implement learning initiatives for children globally. Before this role, Britto served as UNICEF’s Representative to the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (PDR), where she led the organization’s work in realizing children’s rights across education, health, protection, water and sanitation, climate action, and emergency response. She has also held the role of UNICEF's Global Chief and Senior Advisor of Early Childhood Development, spearheading a global movement to give every child the best start in life. Britto joined UNICEF after an academic career as an Assistant Professor at Yale University and earned her doctoral degree in Developmental Psychology from Teachers College, Columbia University. She is a globally recognized expert with over 100 publications, including books, peer-reviewed articles, and reports in the field of child development and learning. Britto is also the recipient of numerous national and international awards and is widely cited in both academic research and media for her contributions to child development. Britto’s work is grounded in her commitment to ensuring the right to education, learning and skills for every child and young person. She is a national of the United States and is fluent in English and Hindi and speaks several South Asian languages.