60 years on, global literacy reaches 88%; but 739 million still can’t read

When UNESCO proclaimed International Literacy Day in 1966, the world was still far from today's literacy levels. In 1950, about 56 per cent of the world's adults were literate. By 1980, the figure had risen to around 70 per cent.

Yet, six decades after the first International Literacy Day was observed on September 8, 1967, at least 739 million adults still lack basic literacy skills. The contrast between that progress and the unfinished task is at the centre of International Literacy Day, which marks the 60th anniversary this year.

This year's theme, “Literacy for people, the planet and prosperity,” places literacy not only in the context of reading and writing, but also in inclusion, sustainable development, and economic opportunity. Also Read | International Literacy Day 2026: Why is it celebrated, history, theme and significance The latest data from the Unesco Institute for Statistics (UIS) show that the global adult literacy rate is about 88 per cent, while 93 per cent of young people aged 15 to 24 are literate.

The gap between generations reflects the expansion of access to education over recent decades. In 2000, the corresponding rates were about 81 per cent for adults and 87 per cent for youth. But global averages conceal sharp regional differences.

UIS data for 2015-2024 put the adult literacy rate at 98.7 per cent in Europe and North America, 96.7 per cent in East and Southeast Asia and 94.8 per cent in Latin America and the Caribbean. In contrast, the rate was 76.5 per cent in Central and Southern Asia, 81.5 per cent in Northern Africa and Western Asia and 68.5 per cent in sub-Saharan Africa.

Central and Southern Asia, however, also shows how quickly literacy levels can change. The region recorded the largest improvement among the regions covered by the UIS comparison, with adult literacy rising from 63.3 per cent in 1995-2004 to 76.5 per cent in 2015-2024, a gain of 13.2 percentage points.

Yet the region still has a large share of the world's population without basic literacy skills. Unesco estimates that 347 million people in Central and Southern Asia remain without basic literacy. Sub-Saharan Africa presents another side of the challenge.

Its adult literacy rate increased from 59 per cent in 1995-2004 to 68.5 per cent in 2015-2024. Yet Unesco notes that the number of illiterate adults rose from 196 million to 225 million between 2015 and the latest estimates, as population growth outpaced improvement in literacy rates.

Of the estimated 739 million adults lacking basic literacy skills, almost two-thirds are women. The figure illustrates why expanding overall access to schooling does not automatically eliminate inequalities in literacy. Literacy also cannot be reduced to whether a person can technically read and write.

The latest UIS education data show that, at the age when children should have completed primary education, only about half reach minimum proficiency in reading, while around 40 per cent reach the minimum level in mathematics.

Globally, 62 per cent of young people complete upper secondary education, compared with only 29 per cent in sub-Saharan Africa. This makes learning quality as important as access to education. Unesco’s data also show that wealth and geography continue to influence educational outcomes, particularly in poorer countries.

Literacy and foundational learning therefore remain linked to broader questions of poverty, gender, location, and access to quality education. The latest UIS Education data also brings out the importance of measuring these gaps.

The database now contains more than 8.26 million published education data points, with 98,368 added since September 2025. Almost two-thirds of the increase came from SDG 4 indicators, while every region recorded a net increase in available national data.

Central and Eastern Europe recorded the largest regional increase. Six decades after International Literacy Day was proclaimed, the story is neither simply one of success nor failure. More people can read and write than at any point in history, and younger generations have higher literacy rates than older ones.

But the remaining gaps are concentrated among some of the world's most disadvantaged populations, so Unesco’s task is to expand literacy and make it meaningful in a changing world. Deepto Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at The Indian Express (Digital), specialising in education policy, career guidance, and student affairs.

He is an IIMC New Delhi alumnus. ... Read More