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International Literacy Day, Why should we care?
International Literacy Day has been celebrated worldwide every September 8 for the past 55 years. On this day, UNESCO invites us to support the advocacy of literacy as a factor of dignity and human rights, as well as to strive for fairer and more sustainable societies where the right to education is a reality for all.
International Literacy Day has been celebrated worldwide every September 8 for the past 55 years. On this day, UNESCO invites us to support the advocacy of literacy as a factor of dignity and human rights, as well as to strive for fairer and more sustainable societies where the right to education is a reality for all.Despite the progress made in recent decades, challenges persist. More than 773 million adults worldwide lack basic literacy skills and in Latin America and the Caribbean we currently have about 28 million illiterate youth over 15 years old and adults. The majority of them are in rural areas, where 12.8% of the population is illiterate. This is revealed by the report "The Crossroads of Education in Latin America and the Caribbean - ODS4-Education 2030 Regional Monitoring Report", which will be launched on this occasion by UNESCO, UNICEF and ECLAC.
This new study identifies challenges and offers good practices that can guide decision-making and is a key regional input for the Summit on the Transformation of Education of Heads of State, which will take place this month in New York, thanks to the call of the Secretary-General of the United Nations.
Investing in the monitoring of these educational data, as well as the quality of the learning of the students who are in school is fundamental. The latest figures from the Comparative and Explanatory Regional Study issued by UNESCO's Latin American Laboratory for the Evaluation of the Quality of Education (LLECE), show that in the region more than 60% of students in sixth grade do not reach the minimum level of competence in Language.
These insufficient literacy skills expose this population to greater vulnerability. For example, it can undermine their livelihoods or prevent them from benefiting from digital transformation, among many other aspects for their development. Low literacy skills limit access to new technologies, to acquiring digital citizenship skills, and to having opportunities for lifelong learning. Because as Paulo Freire affirmed, literacy gives us the ability to read the world and to continue learning.
Due to its importance, during this commemoration, UNESCO presents the International Literacy Award, which rewards the best initiatives in this area. Thus, in 2022, the "Literatura AcessÃvel" program of the Include Institute in Brazil was highlighted in the region, along with other initiatives from India, Malaysia, South Africa, United Arab Emirates, and the United Kingdom. With these and other actions, UNESCO invites everyone to make literacy a priority in educational transformation. Because the more literacy, the more active citizenship, political participation, social cohesion, gender equality, that is, more development and well-being for people, communities, and our society.
