Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
New York (Agenzia Fides) – The literacy rate is growing on a worldwide level, however the situation in South and West Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa is cause for concern and the financial aid for literacy programs is still not enough. This is what a recent report from the United Nations on education, science, and culture, said. It shows the number of adults who are not literate decreased from 871 million during 1985-1994 to 774 million in the 2000-2006, pushing the global adult literacy rate up from 76 per cent to 83.6 per cent. This has been a particularly significant progress in the developing countries, where the illiteracy rate is even greater normally: from 79% to 68%. If this progress continues at this rate, adult literacy should reach 87% by 2015.
However, while statistics on a world level show positive signs, on a regional and continental level, the differences remain strong. We can just think of the fact that 75% of illiterate persons live in 15 nations in the world, among which are: Bangladesh, Brazil, China, India, and Nigeria. Moreover, the number of those that do not know how to read or write, in Sub-Sahara Africa, has gone from 133 million to 163 million – keeping the two time periods given in the UN report in mind – and in the Arab nations, from 55 million to 58 million. Thus, it is a complex situation of light and darkness where the success on a global level is often accompanied by regional situations where the problem reappears.
The United Nations says that three quarters of the 127 countries for which projections were calculated will miss the goal of halving adult illiteracy rates by 2015 in their territory. This refers mainly to the countries of Sub-Sahara Africa, southwest Asia, and the Arab nations. The literacy gender gap remains virtually unchanged; 63 per cent of illiterate adults were women in 1985-1994, compared to 64 per cent in 2000-2006.
In this context, UNESCO has organized several new initiatives for promoting literacy in the various parts of the world, however it is also important that an effort be made by those countries that have shown a willingness to face the problem. In the first half of the decade, programs for literacy have already begun in Nigeria, India, and Venezuela, while Senegal has tripled its spending on literacy. Burkina Faso has increased from 1-7% the economic contributions for literacy programs and in Mali, investments have gone up, to help face the problem. In India, there has been a 50% increase in financing to help adults who cannot read and write and investments in this area are expected to triple by 2009. However, on an international level, the quantity of financial aid is still very low in comparison to the needs. Among the recommendations of the UN is that of tailoring education systems and literacy programs to the various different contexts and needs, and of sending at least 3% of the education funds in these countries to literacy programs. (Mtp) (Agenzia Fides 10/10/2008)
