Adult and Youth Literacy: Global Trends in Gender Parity

Literacy is a fundamental right and a springboard not only for achieving Education For All but also for eradicating poverty and broadening participation in society. Literacy is a vehicle to support the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) and to empower the poor in particular. As a component of basic education and a foundation for lifelong learning, literacy is the key to enhancing human capabilities and achieving many other rights. It carries wide-ranging benefits not only for individuals but also for families, communities and societies. The UIS is responsible for monitoring international literacy targets associated with the MDGs and presents the most recent data by MDG region.