In a statement before the World Literacy Day on September 8, UNESCO declared that 758 million people over the age of 15 are illiterate globally. Two-thirds of these are women who are disadvantaged in rural areas of developing countries.
According to UNESCO data, the literacy rate of people over the age of 15 has reached 86 percent. This figure reveals that the rate of illiteracy over the age of 15 has increased by 4 percent since 2000.
The UNESCO Bonn Commission of the World, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization draws attention to the insufficient development in terms of reaching the global sustainable education targets until 2030.
Lifelong education
UNESCO called on the international community to invest in people's lifelong education. Walter Hirche, Member of the Organization's Board of Directors, said, “People can acquire the ability to acquire knowledge on their own only when they learn to read and write. The ability to read and write is the basis for people to get out of poverty, participate in social life, equality between the sexes, peace and security.
Functional illiterate
According to UNESCO data, it is recorded that there are approximately 7.5 million functional illiterates in Germany, who can only write and read some sentences. Among them, it is stated that 2 million 300 thousand people between the ages of 18 and 64 do not know how to read or write at all. Walter Hirche emphasizes that these people have difficulties with daily documents such as birthday invitations, employment contracts or doctor's reports, and UNESCO is making efforts to change this situation.
It is stated that more than 7 million people in Turkey are illiterate. Most of them are girls and women.
Women in Southern Sahara still suffer
According to UNESCO data, the literacy rate among adult women has increased from 77 percent to 83 percent in the past 15 years. The number of young people who can read and write is also on the rise, due to the continuous increase in opportunities and obligation to go to school. Today, the literacy rate among young people is 91 percent. Despite this situation, there are still illiterate youth in the southern Sahara region of Africa and southern Asia. The rate of illiterate young women in the Southern Sahara region is 66 percent. This shows that this group is extremely disadvantaged.
Every year, Unesco rewards innovative literacy projects on September 8, World Literacy Day. Prizes totaling $100,000 (approximately €9,000) this year will be awarded to education initiatives from India, South Africa, Thailand, Vietnam and Senegal.
English 
Turkish 
Spanish 