Int’l Literacy Day is marking in World

ISLAMABAD – International Literacy Day is marking on September 8 (Thursday) across the world including Pakistan to raise awareness and concern for literacy problems that exist within our own local communities as well as globally. International Literacy Day highlights the importance of literacy in areas such as health and education.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and its partners promote the day to underline the significance of literacy for healthy societies, with a strong emphasis on epidemics and communicable diseases such as HIV,

tuberculosis and malaria. Activities such as letters to the editor in newspapers, as well as news reports about the concerns for low literacy levels, have occurred as a result of this increased awareness. Other activities include literacy day projects, particularly with regard to technology and literature, which are promoted by various organizations including reading associations. According to UNESCO, about 774 million adults lack the minimum literacy skills.

One in five adults is still not literate and two-thirds of them are women. About 75 million children are out-of-school and many more attend irregularly or drop out. However, literacy is also a cause for celebration on the day because there are nearly four billion literate people in the world.