Women in Literacy Facts

Women and Education
At the end of the 20th century, 860 million of the world’s adults (nearly one in four) were illiterate. Two-thirds of them are women. If present trends continue, this number will remain largely unchanged through 2010.⁽¹⁾

Access to education varies according to income, race, ethnic origin, disability and residence. But the single largest factor is gender.⁽²⁾ One out of three women in the world today cannot read or write.

A large body of research has established a strong correlation between literacy and social development with the greatest social benefits accruing from the extension of basic education to girls and women. ⁽¹⁾

Women and Self-reliance
More than one billion people in the world today live in absolute poverty (i.e. earn less than US$1 per day). Nearly 70 percent of them are women. ⁽⁶⁾

Globally, women’s wages average between 20 and 50 percent lower than men’s.⁽³⁾

Women with even a few years of schooling are better agricultural workers, generate more income, and take better care of their families.⁽¹⁾

Once low-income women increase their income, they use their new earnings to improve the education, health and nutrition of their families.⁽⁴⁾

Women and Health
In developing countries, populations with the lowest literacy rates have the poorest health status. The relationship between literacy and health is particularly strong when female literacy is studied.⁽⁵⁾

A survey of 106 developing countries shows that as the literacy level of women increases:

• Fertility rates decline because literate women tend to marry later and are more likely to use family planning;
• Infant mortality rates decline because mothers with even one year of schooling tend to take better care of their babies;
• Immunization rates rise because literate mothers are more likely to seek medical care for their children.⁽⁶⁾

By the middle of 2002, only 14 heads of state were women.⁽⁴⁾

Despite educational progress, women rarely hold more than 1-2% of top executive business positions.⁽⁴⁾

Excluded from most political offices, many women have found a voice in nongovernmental organizations.⁽⁴⁾

Sources:
(1) Adult Education in a Polarizing World, Education for All, UNESCO, 1997.
(2) ICAE News, No. 4, 1995.
(3) WIDWorks, Office of Women in Development, USAID.
(4) Chiefs of State and Cabinet Members of Foreign Governments, CIA Directorate of Intellignece, July 2002.
(5) The Relationship Between Literacy and Health, Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved, Vol 1, No. 4, Spring 1991.
(6) Educating People: improving chances, expanding choices, 1995, UNESCO and UNICEF.
(7) “Hitting Close to Home,” Sandra Hankin, SIA Magazine, January-February 1994.