In 1965, UNESCO established September 8th as an annual International Literacy Day event. The Dag Hammarskjöld Library of the UN takes a positive view that it's a day to celebrate the fact there are now close to four billion literate people in the world. UNESCO reminds us, however, that one in five adults is still not literate, with about two-thirds of them women and 67.4 million children out of school.
How can you help? January Magazine points out a few ways as does HuffPo, the Global Development Research Center (GDRC) and the Hammarskjöld Library link above. Why is literacy important? It's not just so authors can make a living selling books, although that's one of many side benefits. As UNESCO points out
"Literacy is a human right, a tool of personal empowerment and a means for social and human development. Educational opportunities depend on literacy.Literacy is at the heart of basic education for all, and essential for eradicating poverty, reducing child mortality, curbing population growth, achieving gender equality and ensuring sustainable development, peace and democracy. There are good reasons why literacy is at the core of Education for All (EFA).
A good quality basic education equips pupils with literacy skills for life and further learning; literate parents are more likely to send their children to school; literate people are better able to access continuing educational opportunities; and literate societies are better geared to meet pressing development."
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