Literacy: Means of

Empowerment

YMCA Global Awareness Team

‘Literacy is the ability to identify, understand, interpret,

create, communicate and compute, using printed and

written materials associated with varying contexts.

Literacy involves a continuum of learning in enabling

individuals to achieve his or her goals, develop his or

her knowledge and potential and participate fully in

community and wider society’ (UNESCO 2005: 21).

Literacy in the 21st century

It is important to recognize that literacy is not a have or have not ability, instead, literacy is assessed at different levels of competency in different areas including reading, writing and numeracy.

UNDERSTANDING LITERACY:

It’s Not a Matter of Have or Have Not

LITERACY IN CANADA: Still room for Improvement

• Four out of 10 adult Canadians, age 16 to 65 - representing 9 million Canadians - struggle with low literacy.

• 15% of adult Canadians 16 years+ are in the lowest level of literacy (Level 1)

• 27% of Canadians are in Level 2• 30% of high school students leave school without a diploma

LITERACY IN CANADA: HEALTH CONCERNS

• 1 in 4 adults can’t read dosages and directions on over-the-counter or prescription medicines or read health and wellness information

• Low literate adults are 2.5 times more likely to experience unemployment compared to those at Level 3 +

• Those aged 16 to 65 who reported being in poor physical health scored lower in document literacy than did those reporting better health.

• Canadians with Level 1 literacy experience daily challenges such as: completing a job application form; using online banking; completing the online application for Employment Insurance

• People with low proficiency in literacy tend to have lower rates of employment, and they tend to work in occupations with lower skill requirements.

• Low literate adults are 2.5 times more likely to experience unemployment compared to those at Level 3 +

• 43% of working age Canadians at level 1 literacy derive income from Employment Insurance or Social Assistance compared to 14% of those at the highest levels

LITERACY IN CANADA: EMPLOYMENT

LITERACY IN CANADA: IMPACTS ON THE

WORKPLACE1 out of 3 Canadian employers experience basic skills-related problems with their workforce, yet less than 1 out of 10 employers are involved in literacy programs or referrals to programs. The impact of Basic Skills Programs on Canadian Workplace, reports on 86 employer and employee representatives from 53 workplaces which had participated in basic skills training for at least 1 year:

• 79% reported increased productivity• 84% reported improvements in the quality of people’s work• 73% reported an increase in the work effort• 87% reported more competent use of workplace based technology• 82% reported increased health and safety• 97% reported increased self confidence that benefits the workplace

LITERACY IN CANADA: AFFECTS ON COMMUNITY

• Literacy proficiency improves chances of employment, builds self-confidence and enables discussions and actions that affect the welfare of individuals and their community.

• Greater understanding of social and political issues means a more informed opinion at the ballot box, better understanding of issues, and greater confidence in discussing them. This, in turn, encourages leadership and engagement in public debate.

LITERACY IN CANADA: ONE FINAL NOTE…

By raising literacy scores by 1% in Canada, Canada’s national

economic productivity is expected to increase by 2.5% or

$18 billion per year

“Education is both a human right in itself and an indispensable

means of realizing other human rights.”

UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights 1999

LITERACY AND ITS GLOBAL IMPACT

LITERACY AND HUMAN RIGHTS

Literacy should be recognized as a tool to pursuecivil, political, economic or social

rights. It also provides individuals with the ability to recognize and exercise their legal rights, as well as participate politically in society.

Literacy classes provide a place for learners, in particular women, gain access to and develop a better understanding of their rights and

how to claim, defend and promote them.

LITERACY, INCLUSION AND EQUITY

At a global level, the challenge of literacy inequalities remains

undiminished. Ensuring adequate and appropriate provision to

diverse population groups will require that improvements in mass

literacy go hand-in-hand with sensitivity to linguistic and cultural

diversity among minority and indigenous populations. In addition,

provision for women, young people, rural populations and the poor

is often inadequate. (UNESCO 2005: 29)

LITERACY AND INCLUSION

In order for literacy to be inclusive, it needs to be recognized and respected that every individual, community and society presents

its own unique ways of learning, interpreting and accessing programs. It cannot be assumed that a one size fits all approach to

literacy and learning will work.

• 63 per cent of the illiterate population were women in 1985–1994 as compared to 64 per cent in 2000–2006. • The gender gap has improved most in the Arab States, and in South, West and East Asia. • In Sub-Saharan Africa, the female literacy rate has risen from 45 per cent to 53 per cent, but the proportion of illiterate women within the total illiterate population has increased slightly, from 61 per cent to 62 per cent. • In Pakistan, the gender disparity in literacy rates is much greater in rural areas than in urban areas. • In South Asia as a whole, the gender gap in school enrolments is particularly evident in remote areas. • Significantly, the Latin American countries with large indigenous communities (Guatemala, Peru and Bolivia) have lower literacy rates for women as compared to the population as a whole.

LITERACY AND GENDER DISPARITIES WORLDWIDE

Because of the complex nature of poverty, there is no single solution to combat it. Competence in literacy is however, an essential component of the multi-

faceted solution to poverty.

Poverty reduction, economic growth and wealth

LITERACY AND POVERTY

LITERACY AND POVERTY

Although the Millennium Development Goals include the prioritisation of funding for primary education (Goal 2), adult literacy or non-formal education was

not formally addressed. This means that a formal connection between literacy and poverty was not present however, it is clear that a strong link exists between literacy and poverty. For example, literate adults are more likely to send their children to school (Goal 2), and the learning of HIV and

AIDS prevention through literacy (Goal 6).

UNESCO’s Global Literacy Challenge suggests 3 key actions that need to be

taken:

Mobilizing stronger commitment to literacy:• Greater advocacy• Greater political will and stronger policies• Clearer picture of real needs• More dynamic partnerships

GLOBAL LITERACY CHALLENGE

Reinforcing more effective literacy programme delivery:

• Increasing scale and quality of delivery• Strengthened capacity development of literacy actors• Enriching the literate environment• More focused attention on numeracy• Better exchange of information on what works• Research to provide reliable data and evidence-based

alternatives

GLOBAL LITERACY CHALLENGE

Harnessing new resources for literacy:

• More information on literacy programme costs• Increased budgets• Increased financial support from donors

GLOBAL LITERACY CHALLENGE

• Donate books and reading materials to your local school or community centre

• Start a reading club• Volunteer to teach literacy classes or become a one to one tutor in your

community• Become a mentor of a non-literate person• Send your literacy stories to joinliteracy@unesco.org

WHAT CAN WE DO?

• Project Read• ABC Life Literacy Canada• Community Literacy of Ontario• UNESCO.org (Global Literacy Challenge)• UN.org

SOURCES