September 8 marks UNESCO’s International Literacy Day. In the world, even today, 13% of the population cannot read or write. In France, the fight against illiteracy remains a major challenge, all the more so in this new school year.
Illiteracy is, contrary to what one might think, an ever topical subject. According to the latest Unesco figures (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization), in the world, 775 million people cannot read or write, i.e. 13% of the world’s population. For most women. A figure that has fallen significantly since 1990, when the proportion was 24.3%. However, literacy remains a major challenge in terms of educationin particular for the UN, which intends by 2030 that “all young people and a considerable proportion of adults, men and women, can read, write and count”indicates the international organization on its site.
Thursday, September 8, 2022 also marks the Unesco international literacy day. The goal ? Remind each country and its population of the importance of literacy and the right to education, which also contributes, let us remember, to the sustainable and inclusive development of our societies. In general, for this day, various events are organized in several countries.
Women particularly affected
Unesco statistics also show thatglobally two-thirds of women are illiterate. Compared to men, in recent years the gap in literacy rates has narrowed. In 1975, it was 14.3% (84.3% for young men and 70% for young women aged 15-24) and in 2020 it has risen to 2.1%: 92.9% for young men and 90.8% for young women.
However, some disparities continue to widen in other countries of the world, such as in Mali. “In 2018, 37% of girls were enrolled in secondary school compared to 44% of boys. This means that only a third of women are able to decipher a simple sentence, compared to 80% of men”emphasizes the Unesco website.
The situation in France
By way of comparison, in France, some findings are just as alarming and are still underestimated. Illiteracy, for example, affects globally 2.5 million people aged 18 to 65 declares theNational Agency for the Fight Against Illiteracy. Among the youngest, who are educated, the phenomenon is also visible. A recent report of National Education, dating from May 2022, revealed thattoday 5% of 16-year-olds suffer from illiteracy and nearly one in ten teenagers have great difficulty reading. A harsh reality which also adds to the shortage of teachers currently affecting the country.
To counter these educational inequalities, the French government has decided for the third consecutive year to launch a new edition of the “September for learning” campaign. The principal objective “to make education accessible to all”. For this, the idea is to make as many people aware of these issues while mobilizing volunteers throughout France, thanks to the platform JeVeuxAider.gouv.fr which offers 1,300 missions on the theme of education to help and support those who need it (children, young adults, people with disabilityrefugees etc.)