INTERNATIONAL NEWS
WASHINGTON – Liberia’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Lewis Brown II, has urged the international community to prioritize digital education for children affected by conflict, describing the issue as both a humanitarian and global security concern.
Ambassador Brown made the call while delivering a statement at the United Nations Security Council during a session on “The Maintenance of International Peace and Security: Children, Technology, and Education in Conflict.”
By: Kabina S. Kabah – kabinaskabah98@gmail.com
In his remarks, Brown expressed appreciation to Melania Trump for her commitment to addressing the plight of children in conflict zones. He also acknowledged the United Kingdom for its leadership of the Council during February and welcomed the United States as it assumes the presidency for March.
Highlighting the intersection of children, technology, and education, Brown warned that prolonged disruptions to schooling in conflict settings risk creating a “generational loss.”
He noted that more than 224 million children in crisis-affected areas are currently out of school, describing the situation not only as an educational challenge but also a major protection and security emergency.
Reflecting on Liberia’s own experience, Brown recalled the devastating impact of 14 years of civil conflict, which destroyed educational infrastructure and forced thousands of teachers from classrooms.
He stressed that the collapse of education systems during conflicts often fuels instability, arguing that safeguarding learning opportunities must be treated as a matter of international security rather than merely a development issue.
“To address these challenges, we must prioritize innovation that includes robust protections for children in educational technologies,” Brown told the Council.
The Liberian envoy called for increased global investment in digital education platforms that can operate even in fragile and conflict-affected environments. According to him, expanding access to digital learning tools could help reshape the future of children living in war-torn regions.
Among several proposals, Brown recommended establishing a post-conflict education digital recovery window within existing international financing mechanisms to support rebuilding educational systems in fragile states.
He also proposed the creation of a network of solar-powered community digital learning hubs that would serve as safe access points for displaced and conflict-affected children to continue their education.
Additionally, Brown urged the formation of a voluntary coalition of governments, technologists, and educators to develop low-bandwidth, offline-first learning systems specifically designed for use in conflict environments.
While promoting innovation, he emphasized that technology must not compromise child protection. Brown called for standardized safeguards for artificial intelligence tools used in humanitarian and emergency education settings.
“Investing in digital education in fragile contexts not only reduces the recruitment pool for armed groups, but also strengthens girls’ autonomy and promotes peaceful communities,” he said, stressing that such investments should be viewed as strategic security policies rather than acts of charity.
Concluding his remarks, Brown pointed to Liberia’s transformation from a country once hosting international peacekeepers to one now contributing troops to peacekeeping missions.
He said the country’s progress demonstrates the transformative power of education in creating opportunity and sustaining peace.
“If we fail children in conflict today, we will face the crisis of the society we hand down tomorrow,” Brown warned, urging nations to commit resources to digital education as a core component of global peacebuilding efforts.
