Writing the Wrongs International Benchmarks on Adult Literacy BASED ON RESEARCH FUNDED BY THE EDUCATION FOR ALL GLOBAL MONITORING REPORT 2006 & UNESCO NOVEMBER 2005 David Archer
[email protected] ActionAid International Hamlyn House MacDonald Road Archway London N19 5PG UK Lucia Fry
[email protected] Global Campaign for Education PO Box 521733 Saxonwold Johannesburg 2132 South Africa www.actionaid.org www.campaignforeducation.org CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Acknowledgements This report has been compiled by David Archer of ActionAid WHY WE MUST INVEST IN Illiteracy is a violation of the ✱ Adult literacy is critical for the International based on a major survey and research project developed ADULT LITERACY NOW fundamental human right to healthy development and education by the Global Campaign for Education. The research was led by David Executive Summary 1 There are nearly one billion adults education. But if that is not argument of children, especially girls. Each Archer and conducted by Yaikah Jeng under the guidance of a research coordination team made up of Maria Nandago (Pamoja, who cannot read and write, according enough, the Global Campaign for extra year of education for mothers is 1. The Global Context 7 Uganda), Gorgui Sow (ANCEFA, Senegal), Julie Adu Gyamfi (ActionAid to UNESCO statistics. The real figure Education believes that there are five associated with a significant decline in Ghana), Vera Ribeiro (Acao Educativa, Brazil), Menaka Roy (ASPBAE is probably nearer to two billion 1 and compelling practical reasons for infant mortality and improved child- 2. Overview of the Process 11 India) , Nitya Rao (UEA / India) and Anne Jellema (Global Campaign still more if numeracy and the actual governments and donors to invest health 3.