Literacy is a Right, Not a Privilege

If you are reading this, you are privileged. It’s not that you are privileged to read this particular post, you are privileged because you can read. But reading should not be a privilege. Reading is, or at least should be, a fundamental human right.

In the powerful documentary The Right to Read (https://www.therighttoreadfilm.org/), Kareem Weaver is asked why reading is so important. His response (and I am paraphrasing) is, “What if you lived in the Stone Age and had no stone? What if you lived in the Bronze Age and had no bronze?” This is the reality for hundreds of millions of people in the Information Age who lack the most essential tools needed to participate in modern society - the ability to read and write.

International Literacy Day (September 8) is a timely reminder that literacy remains out of reach for hundreds of millions. It is estimated that over 750 million people aged 15 and older can not read. This is not just their problem. It is ours.

The World Bank estimates that “in low- and middle-income countries … an estimated 70% of 10-year-olds [are] unable to understand a simple written text.” Before the COVID-19 pandemic, this figure stood at “just” 59%. Entire generations are being left behind.

Illiteracy further raises barriers to healthcare, economic participation, legal protections, and climate change adaptation. Illiteracy tends to be significantly higher among women and girls, adults and children with disabilities, and speakers of minority languages. Vulnerable populations are made even more vulnerable because of illiteracy.

For over twelve years, SIL LEAD has worked to uplift minority language communities through mother tongue-based literacy and education programs. We have been privileged to support the efforts of USAID, AusAid, UNICEF, the African Development Bank, the InterAmerican Development Bank, and others to promote literacy worldwide, particularly for minoritized languages. It is fulfilling and meaningful work, but sometimes it feels like the task is too great and that people who CAN read don’t really care about those who CAN’T.

Do you recognize the privilege you have as a reader? If so, how will you use that privilege? Do you agree that every child should be given the opportunity to learn to read and write? That reading is a fundamental human right?

The work of organizations like SIL LEAD has never been more vital. Helping children and adults learn to read and write, first in the language(s) they speak at home and then in the language(s) of broader communication in their country, promotes equity in our increasingly complex, tech-driven world. As we are just beginning to see the impact of AI on technology and communication, we can only wonder how much wider the gap will become between those who CAN and those who CAN’T read and write.

Literacy opens doors to better health, education, legal protection, economic prosperity, adaptation to climate change, and self-determination. This International Literacy Day, I challenge you to do whatever you CAN to make literacy a right rather than a privilege.