School closures in response to the Covid-19 pandemic threaten the education of millions of girls. Without urgent action, gains made in girls’ education over recent decades could be reversed. Strategies shown to be effective for the education of marginalised girls can be adapted to the Covid-19 pandemic context using appropriate technology. These include:
- mobile cash transfers
- providing girls with devices, connections and data as part of a distance education package
- media campaigns supporting a return to school and promoting the economic returns to education for girls
Gender considerations need to be included in the design and production of content for distance education courses which use technology. Strategies likely to be effective at increasing learning for girls include:
- ensuring a good representation of females among presenters and producers of content
- supporting group learning, high-engagement learning, real-world learning and project-based learning
- ensuring girls have access to safe spaces (virtual or physical) where they can interact and learn together