UNICEF has entered into a partnership with Microsoft, in collaboration with the University of Cambridge, to develop a "learning passport", a digital education platform and protection service aid for those who have been displaced or been impacted by conflict.
According to UNICEF, the new digital platform will be trialed and tested in countries that host refugees, migrants and internally displaced individuals.
In a blog post, Microsoft corporate VP and lead for philanthropies, Mary Snapp, said that the first initiative will be to provide children who have had their learning disrupted by conflict with a digitally personalized, globally accredited learning platform.
"We are applying technology and expertise to ensure that the most vulnerable children on the move have access to education and protection," Snapp commented.
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In addition to its learning passport, UNICEF said that it would leverage its digital child protection case management system and work with Microsoft to create new developments to offer protection services.
UNICEF USA president and CEO Caryl Stern said: "This is a vital partnership, as bringing together committed partners such as Microsoft, who are willing to utilize their resources and expertise, will help to solve the biggest challenges for the world's children."
A report issued by the UN in 2017, Left Behind: Refugee Education in Crisis, revealed that "3.5 million school-age refugees had zero days of school in 2016".
