What is Rotary Literacy Month?
Rotary Literacy Month highlights literacy and education issues around the world. Celebrated in March each year, Rotary Literacy Month is an excellent opportunity for Rotary clubs and districts to raise awareness about literacy, launch new literacy initiatives and projects, and recognize literacy accomplishments from the past year.
Rotarians everywhere are encouraged to participate in Rotary Literacy Month by engaging in service or activities that specifically address literacy and education issues either in their communities or abroad.
Why is literacy important? Literacy is the foundation for virtually all forms of education and a crucial component of effective social and economic participation, human development, and poverty reduction. According to the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) nearly 800 million people over the age of 15 lack even basic reading and writing skills worldwide.
In addition, there are roughly 137 million school age children who are illiterate around the world. Sadly, over 64% of all illiterate people in the world today are women.
The benefits of literacy to society are undisputed. The Education for All Global Monitoring Report published in 2006 by UNESCO argues that literate populations are less likely to experience civil strife and are more likely to develop economically. There is also a direct connection between literacy rates and community health.
People who are literate are generally more aware of health concerns in their communities and are therefore better equipped to avoid illness.
Global Literacy Statistics --Nearly 800 million people worldwide over the age of 15 can neither read nor write. --Women and girls account for about 64 percent of the illiterate population. --Nearly half al all children in Africa will not complete secondary school. |
