Global Alliance for Literacy | Institute for Lifelong Learning

Despite the concerted efforts globally, an estimated 765 million youth and adults worldwide still lack basic literacy and numeracy skills – two-thirds of whom are women. Southern Asia is home to almost one-half of this global youth and adult population with no basic literacy and numeracy, while 27 per cent live in sub-Saharan Africa. The other 10 per cent are in East and South-East Asia, 9 per cent in Northern Africa, while about 4 per cent live in Latin America and the Caribbean and another 4 per cent in Western Asia.

Concerted effort is needed in policy development and financial investment to safeguard literacy for all, especially those from greater disadvantage. To this end, the Global Alliance for Literacy within the Framework of Lifelong Learning (GAL) was launched in 2016 to advance global literacy efforts and address challenges to promoting literacy around the world. The UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning (UIL) serves as GAL Secretariat.