Topic: 2026 – Digital Equity for Children
Country: Ukraine
Delegate Name: Thomson Manoj
Delegation of Ukraine
Farmington High School
Thomson Manoj
Ukraine knows that digital equity is now a basic part of children’s right to education.
Because of the recent Russo-Ukrainian conflict, many schools are closed or unsafe,
and a lot of learning has moved to online or mixed formats. It sounds good in theory, but
in reality a lot of kids do not have a stable internet connection, their own device, or even
quiet place to study at home, and this is much worse for lower income families, rural
areas, displaced children, and children with disabilities. Studies show only around 60%
of students from Ukraine have stable, high-quality internet for online learning, and
children from the poorest households are far more likely to have constant connection
problems and to share a single devices with their whole family, which makes it easy to
fall behind. This digital gap affects education first, but also affects future job
opportunities, mental health, and how fairly children can participate in society.
Ukraine is working with UNICEF and other partners to close this gap instead of
pretending everybody had access to go fully online. UNICEF has supported
improvements to the All-Ukrainian School Online platform, set up digital learning centers
in frontline areas like Zaporizhzhia, and helped provide laptops and other devices so
children can actually access classes and resources, not just in theory but in practice.
The Ukrainian government and partners have also launched efforts like the National
Digital Literacy Platform and device coalitions to boost digital skills and get hardware to
vulnerable students and teachers, especially those from poorer families, children in
orphanages, and kids with special education needs. For Ukraine, digital equity means
three things at the same time: connection (internet and electricity), tools (devices and
platforms that actually work), and skills and safety (kids, parents, teachers who know to
use tech in safe, useful ways).
Ukraine is asking UNICEF and Member States to see digital access as a core part of
child rights, not an afterthought. In the short term, Ukraine wants more support for
devices, school-connected and community Wi-Fi, and safe digital learning spaces so
children affected by war cam keep learning even when they cannot sit in a regular
classroom. At the same time, Ukraine needs long-term investment in affordable, reliable
internet across regions, teacher training for online and mixed learning, and programs
building digital literacy and online safety skills for kids & parents, with special attention
to lower income households, rural areas, displaced families, and children with
disabilities. No Ukrainian child should be left behind just because of where they live,
how much money their family has, or whether a missile hit their school. The digital world
should offer these children more chances in life, not fewer
Works Cited (MLA)
“Bridging the Digital Divide in Education: Lessons from Armenia, Moldova and
Ukraine.” Global Campus of Human Rights, 25 Sept.
2024, www.gchumanrights.org/preparedness/bridging-the-digital-divide-in-education-
lessons-from-armenia-moldova-and-ukraine.
“Learning Boost for Ukrainian Children Shut Out of School for Years.” Theirworld, 23
Jan. 2024, theirworld.org/news/learning-boost-for-ukrainian-children-shut-out-of-school-
for-years.
“Online Learning in Ukraine: How It Works and Whether Knowledge Levels Are
Declining. Part 1.” VoxUkraine, 24 Sept. 2025, voxukraine.org/en/online-learning-in-
ukraine-how-it-works-and-whether-knowledge-levels-are-declining-part-1.
“UNICEF Won’t Stop Helping Children in Ukraine: Full-Scale War Hits 2-Year
Mark.” UNICEF USA, 8 May 2025, www.unicefusa.org/stories/unicef-wont-stop-helping-
children-ukraine-full-scale-war-hits-2-year-mark.
“Back to School for Ukrainian Children at Digital Learning Centers.” UNICEF
Technology (LinkedIn), 30 June 2025, www.linkedin.com/posts/unicef-
technology_ukraine-back-to-school-for-ukrainian-children-activity-
7345748431144951808–R7E.
