Commentary: A Framework for Ethics and Equity in Education in Emergencies Research

Abstract

In this commentary, I reflect on the ethical dimensions of education in emergencies (EiE) research, drawing from a keynote address I delivered at the INEE Data and Evidence Summit in Geneva in June 2023. While longstanding gaps in research standards, production, sharing, analysis, and uptake in EiE are well recognized, I recommend a fundamental shift in how the sector conceptualizes research. I argue that ethics—which relates to power dynamics and issues of equity—must be considered as a starting point for improving EiE data ecosystems and propose a four-question framework that may guide future research. Drawing from scholarship and stakeholders’ perspectives, I highlight donor dominance, extractive research practices, epistemic authority in the Global North, and the marginalization of racialized and crisis-affected communities in agenda-setting and knowledge production. I further critique the privileging of quantitative evidence and the ethical risks of datafication, privacy breaches, and restricted dissemination. I propose that more participatory and equitable approaches that elevate local expertise, broaden methodological rigor, and conceptualize data as a public good will foster a more contextually grounded, just, and ethical EiE field.