The Global Literacy Challenge

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The Global Literacy Challenge A profile of youth and adult literacy at the mid-point of the United Nations Literacy Decade 2003 – 2012 Prepared and edited by Mark Richmond Clinton Robinson Margarete Sachs-Israel UNESCO Education Sector Division for the Coordination of United Nations Priorities in Education Published in 2008 By the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization 7, place de Fontenoy, 75352 Paris 07 SP (France) UNESCO (ED-2008/WS/52) CLD-2128.8 Preface from Mr Koïchiro Matsuura Director-General of UNESCO I am pleased to present this publication, The Global Literacy Challenge, as we move into the second half of the United Nations Literacy Decade (2003–2012). At this juncture, it is fitting that we should take stock of the dimensions of the challenge in order to move forward with even greater commitment. Special thanks go to Mrs Laura Bush, First Lady of the United States of America who, in her capacity as the Honorary Ambassador for the United Nations Literacy Decade, gave the Decade a major boost by promoting the development of the Literacy Initiative for Empowerment (LIFE), by hosting the White House Conference on Global Literacy held in New York in September 2006, and by setting in motion the series of six UNESCO Regional Conferences in Support of Global Literacy. These strategic initiatives have significantly raised the profile of literacy around the world. As a global community, we have worked for many decades to enable people everywhere to benefit from literacy, and, without doubt, we are making progress. Literacy rates are rising, and there is a stronger awareness that literacy needs everywhere are changing and must be addressed in innovative ways. However, over 774 million young people and adults in our world today – almost one in five of the adult population – do not have the basic literacy and numeracy skills they
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