10 Countries With the Worst Literacy Rates in the World

By Kristina Chew. Barely anyone — one to two percent of the population — could read in ancient Rome and nobody thought more people should. Now we recognize that literacyis a human right; that being able to read and write is personally empowering and, in a world that relies more and more on technology, simply necessary.
Nonetheless, millions of children, the majority of whom are girls, still never learn to read and write today (pdf). This Sunday, September 8, is International Literacy Day, an event that Unescohas been observing for more than 40 years to highlight how essential literacy is to learning and also “for eradicating poverty, reducing child mortality, curbing population growth, achieving gender equality and ensuring sustainable development, peace and democracy.” Read more...