United Nations Literacy Decade: Education For All. (2003-13)

Introduction:- 1. The General Assembly at its fifty-sixth session adopted its resolution 56-116 entitled "United Nations Literacy Decade: education for all", in which it proclaimed the United Nations Literacy Decade for period 2003-2012 towards the goal of Education for All. The proposal for a United nations literacy decade was brought forward at the fifty fourth session of the assembly (see resolution 54/122), endorsed at the roundtable convened at the World Education Forum, held in Dakar in 2000, and reiterated by the Assembly at its special session, held in Geneva in 2000. The proclamation of the United Nations Literacy Decade by the Assembly at its fifty sixth session was welcomed by the commission on Human Rights in its resolution 2002/23 of 22 April 2002 on the right to education.2. In the preamble to its resolution 56/116 the General Assembiy states it is convinced that literacy is crucial to the acquisition, by every child, youth and adult, of essential life skills that enable them to address the challenges they can face in life and represents an essential step in basic education, which is an indispensable means for effective participation in the societies and economies of the twenty-first century. The resolution also supports the concept of literacy for all in its reaffirmation that literacy for all is at the heart of basic education for all the end that creating literate environments and societies is essential for achieving the goals of eradicating poverty, reducing child mortality, curbing population growth, achieving gender equality and ensuring sustainable development, peace and democracy.3. The United Nations Literacy Decade, as an integral component of Education for All, will provide both a platform and an impetus for achieving all six goals of the Dakar Framework for Action.
The six goals of the Dakar Framework for Action(1) Expanding and improving comprehensive early childhood care and education, especially for the most vulnerable and disadvantaged children;
(2) Ensuring that by 2015 all children, particularly girls, children in difficult circumstances and those belonging to ethnic minorities, have access to and complete, free and compulsory primary education of good quality;
(3) Ensuring that the learning needs of all young people and adults are met through equitable access to appropriate learning and life skills programmers;
(4) Achieving a 50 per cent improvement in levels of adult literacy by 2015, especially for women, and equitable access to basic and continuing education for all adults;
(5) Eliminating gender disparities in primary and secondary education by 2005 and achieving gender equality in education by 2015, with a focus on ensuring girls' full and equal access to and achievement in basic education of good quality.,
(6) Improving all aspects of the quality of education and ensuring excellence of all so that recognized and measurable learning outcomes are achieved by all, especially in literacy, in-numeracy and essential life skills.
Literacy is the common thread that runs through the six goals. Indeed, the acquisition of stable and sustainable literacy skills by all will ensure that people can actively participate in a range of learning opportunities throughout life. Literacy for all is the foundation for lifelong learning for all and a tool for empowering individuals and their communities.
The plan of action builds on the draft proposal and plan for a United Nations literacy decade (A/56/114 and Add. 1-E/2001/93 and Add. 1) and articulates essential requirements and the focus of actions for the successful implementation of the Literacy Decade as a thrust of Education for all efforts. It aims to stimulate action taken by national Government, local communities, individuals, non-governrnent organizations (NG0s), universities, public and private organizations and civil society in their broad coalition. It also aims to mobilize international agencies and national Governments or forging global commitments.
Implementation at National Level
1 . Policy and Planning: Plan for the Literacy Decade through incorporating a Literacy for All component in Education for All plans, with a realistic time frame for the entire 10 years period of the Literacy Decade.
2. Advocacy: Draw up plans for advocacy actions at all levels in cooperation with all stakeholders, such as government functionaries, NG0s, civil society, institutions funding agencies, local communities, local governments and potential learners.3. Capacity-building: Develop training programmers for all categories of stakeholders in the areas of planning, research, training curriculum development, material developments, monitoring and evaluation.4. Partnership: Build effective partnerships with other ministries, NG0s, civil society, institutions, universities, the private sector, funding agencies, international agencies, United Nations agencies and the media.5. Research. Carry out baseline study for priority identification; support action research for developing alternative models and process research to review programmer implementation.
The Director General, UNESCO officially visited Pakistan on May 21-22, 2003 to launch the international Literacy Decade in Pakistan. Ministry of Education in collaboration with UNESCO is organizing various programmes with a view to mobilize all possible support through national institutions, multi-lateral and bilateral partners, civil society and the private sector for the noble cause of promotion of Literacy Besides other programmes being implemented. Date of Issue (September 06, 2003)