7 September 2023
International Literacy Day 2023 will be celebrated on 8 September under the theme “Promoting literacy for a world in transition: Building the foundation for sustainable and peaceful societies”. The observance offers an opportunity to highlight the essential role that literacy and numeracy play in building more peaceful, just and sustainable societies. There is a general consensus that the ambitious United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development cannot be achieved without learning. Autonomous learning largely depends on access to text-based information and communication. Thus, continuous, independent and lifelong learning is not possible without mastering basic competencies such as literacy and numeracy, which in turn are necessary to develop other high-demand skills, including effective communication, problem-solving and (critical) information analysis. Those without a minimum level of literacy proficiency are potentially excluded from a range of opportunities in their lives. In addition to being a key component of lifelong learning, literacy is, above all, a fundamental human right.
Yet, in 2020, there were still young people and adults lacking basic literacy and numeracy skills, the majority of whom are women. In some countries, improvement in women’s literacy has been “exceptionally fast”; in other countries, men’s literacy has shown very slow progress. About (from 6 to 18 years of age) are not enrolled in school. Schooling, however, is no guarantee that learners will acquire the required levels of basic competences. Globally, 7 out of 10 children at 10 years of age are not able to read and understand a simple text. Many persons graduate from secondary education with insufficient literacy and numeracy skills, and this phenomenon is not exclusive to low-income countries. Results from the Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC), conducted in 2018 in over 40 countries, indicate that in the workforce of Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries do not achieve minimum proficiency in literacy skills.
Estimates based on available data show that if adults (from 15 years of age and above) had just two more years of schooling, nearly 60 million people would be lifted out of poverty.
Not fulfilling the right to literacy undermines progress in economic and social development, environmental sustainability, and enduring peace and stability. Putting this in positive terms, literacy is linked to various significant outcomes contributing to the achievement of the (SDGs), especially in a world that is experiencing persistent challenges such as poverty, hunger, inequality, health crises, natural disasters and conflicts. In a context of rapid change, which includes such factors as population growth, global warming, digitalization and automation, access to knowledge and continuous learning becomes essential for the survival of people and planet. Available evidence reveals how people empowered through literacy and other skills manage to navigate, adapt to and actively shape those changes effectively while contributing to social transformation.
For example, estimates based on available data show that if adults (from 15 years of age and above) had just two more years of schooling, would be lifted out of poverty (SDG 1: End poverty in all its forms everywhere). There is also evidence that a mother’s education level positively correlates with her children’s . Further, literacy and non-formal extension programmes can increase farmer productivity and thereby support the achievement of and improved nutrition, as described in SDG 2. A indicates that adult literacy and basic education can positively influence the achievement of SDG 3 (Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages): “A child whose mother can read is 50 per cent more likely to live past the age of five, 50 per cent more likely to be immunized, and twice as likely to attend school”. The , issued by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), states: “A literate woman is more likely to benefit from health campaigns, be informed of modern health methods, and to have more tools to overcome detrimental gender norms”. The (GRALE 3) confirms that literacy programmes help develop democratic values, peaceful co-existence and community solidarity (SDG 16: Promote peaceful and inclusive societies). Similarly, offers ample evidence that literacy learning correlates with positive citizenship outcomes.
An of promising programmes from all world regions that link the teaching and learning of literacy and basic skills to sustainable development challenges in the areas of health, social equality, economic empowerment and environmental sustainability confirms the central role of literacy in responding to these challenges when a transformative and holistic approach is applied. The is mainly mobilized through programmes provided by non-governmental organizations and through community participation and ownership. Literacy programmes that respect linguistic diversity and the mother tongue of the participants help solidify communal identities and collective histories. Intergenerational and approaches to literacy learning have proven to be effective responses to the 2030 Agenda, as they provide access to literacy and learning opportunities for both adults and children in vulnerable communities. An of initiatives conducted in the context of the UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities demonstrates how literacy can be embedded in lifelong learning opportunities for vulnerable groups towards more inclusive and sustainable cities.
To fully exploit the potential of literacy to contribute to transforming our world—the vision of the 2030 Agenda—it is imperative that we adopt a lifelong learning perspective.
In its vision statement, the aspires to “a world with universal literacy”. However, in the context of the post-COVID-19 crisis, we can observe a general trend of concentrating attention on children’s and youth literacy, mainly in the framework of formal education. While literacy and numeracy play important roles across all age groups, urgent, transformative action to effectively address global sustainability challenges cannot afford to neglect or leave aside youth and adult literacy and learning. SDG 4— Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all—dedicates target 4.6 to youth and adult literacy, namely, to “ensure that all youth and a substantial proportion of adults, both men and women, achieve literacy and numeracy”. The , which sets out a new vision for education and lifelong learning, clarifies that rather than being perceived and treated as a stand-alone skill, literacy is “at the core of basic education and an indispensable foundation for independent learning”.
Literacy is increasingly seen as a lifelong endeavour cutting across many domains of life (“life-wide”), including health, work, citizenship and digital environments. Therefore, to fully exploit the potential of literacy to contribute to transforming our world—the vision of the 2030 Agenda—it is imperative that we adopt a . This implies that related learning opportunities need to be brought closer to people’s lives through integrated, multisectoral approaches. The United Nations system can contribute to the advancement of literacy through advocacy, policy development, resource mobilization, technical assistance, capacity development, data collection and monitoring, as well as multi-stakeholder partnerships, among other means. Putting people at the centre of the responsibility to achieve sustainable development in their communities and societies involves empowering them through literacy, education and lifelong learning opportunities to handle the challenges of today’s and tomorrow’s world autonomously, productively and creatively, thereby developing more sustainable, peaceful and just societies on a healthy planet.
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