UNICEF and UN Women Rapid Gender Analysis in Emergencies: Learning among Displaced Adolescent Girls in Lebanon

This Rapid Gender Analysis in Emergencies, conducted by UNICEF Lebanon in collaboration with UN Women, examines how the 2026 escalation of hostilities, displacement and return affected the learning experiences of displaced and returnee adolescent girls aged 11–17 in Lebanon. Conducted in May 2026, the analysis combines a survey of 591 adolescent girls with focus group discussions involving 31 girls and 12 frontline workers to assess access to and continuity of learning, gender-related barriers, learning quality and participation, safety and protection, and girls’ priorities for continued education.

The findings show that girls’ participation in learning declined substantially during the crisis, even as their commitment to education remained strong. Displacement-related disruption, limited access to schools, economic constraints and unreliable digital learning intersected with gender-specific barriers, including menstrual-health challenges, household and care responsibilities, restrictions on mobility and limited influence over educational decisions. Girls also reported concerns related to physical and online safety, psychological distress, bullying and discrimination.

The analysis identifies four priorities for gender-responsive education and humanitarian action: restoring equitable access to safe in-person and accredited non-formal learning; improving teaching quality and adapting learning to displacement; making physical and digital learning environments safer and more inclusive; and reducing gendered barriers while strengthening girls’ participation in decisions affecting their education.