A/RES/59/149
support required to address global illiteracy challenges, and that the world is
unlikely to meet those challenges if the present trends continue,
Deeply concerned about the persistence of the gender gap in education, which
is reflected by the fact that nearly two thirds of the world’s adult illiterates are
women,
Takes note of the report of the Secretary-General, prepared in
1.
cooperation with the Director-General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific
and Cultural Organization, on the implementation of the International Plan of Action
for the United Nations Literacy Decade, 2 as well as the report prepared by the Joint
Inspection Unit on achieving the universal primary education goal of the United
Nations Millennium Declaration; 3
2.
Welcomes the efforts made so far by Member States and the international
community in launching the Decade and implementing the International Plan of
Action;
Appeals to all Governments to develop reliable literacy data and
3.
information and to further reinforce political will, mobilize adequate national
resources, develop more inclusive policy-making environments and devise
innovative strategies for reaching the poorest and most marginalized groups and for
seeking alternative formal and non-formal approaches to learning with a view to
achieving the goals of the Decade;
Urges all Governments to take the lead in coordinating the activities of
4.
the Decade at the national level, bringing all relevant national actors together in a
sustained dialogue and collaborative action on policy formulation, implementation
and evaluation of literacy efforts;
Appeals to all Governments and professional organizations to strengthen
5.
national and professional educational institutions in their countries with a view to
expanding their capacity and promoting the quality of education, with particular
focus on literacy;
Appeals to all Governments and to economic and financial organizations
6.
and institutions, both national and international, to lend greater financial and
material support to the efforts to increase literacy and achieve the goals of
Education for All and those of the Decade, through, inter alia, the 20/20 initiative, 4
as appropriate;
7.
Invites Member States, the specialized agencies and other organizations
of the United Nations system, as well as relevant intergovernmental and
non-governmental organizations, to intensify their efforts to implement effectively
the International Plan of Action, and to integrate substantially those efforts in the
Education for All process and other initiatives and activities of the United Nations
Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization and within the framework of the
internationally agreed development goals, including those contained in the United
Nations Millennium Declaration;1
_______________
2
See A/59/267.
See A/59/76 and Add.1 and Add.1/Corr.1.
4
See Report of the World Summit for Social Development, Copenhagen, 6–12 March 1995 (United
Nations publication, Sales No. E.96.IV.8), chap. I, resolution 1, annex II, para. 88 (c).
3
2