Literacy: Foundation for Achieving SDGs
SDG
Intersection with Literacy
1
2
Ending poverty
Ending hunger &
malnutrition
If all students in low-income countries left school with basic reading skills, 171 million people would be lifted out of poverty. 1 Ending poverty directly contributes to ending hunger.
3
Good health &
well-being
Literacy has a huge impact on lowering child mortality, and
2
increases ability to engage with the healthcare system.2
4
Quality education
Literacy is the foundation of all education; without literacy,
education is impossible.
5
Promoting gender
equality
Literacy empowers women, helping them gain greater selfconfidence, respect and freedoms. In Africa, 20% of illiterate girls
3 are married before they turn 18, compared to 4% of literate girls.3
6
Clean water &
sanitation
Literacy improves awareness of water, sanitation & hygiene
(WASH) issues, enabling people to advocate for clean water.
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8
9
Affordable & clean
energy
Decent work &
economic growth
Industry, innovation
and infrastructure
Literacy improves employment prospects and income. Literate
workers earn more than those who are illiterate, and nations with
higher literacy rates have higher rates of economic growth.
ALfA_Accelerating Learning for All focuses on 6C skills –
collaboration, communication, critical thinking, creativity,
citizenship and character – which is crucial for innovative
4
industries, including renewable energy.4
10
Reduced
inequalities
Literacy fosters greater social equality, empowering people from
5 disadvantaged castes and classes to stand up for their rights.5
11
12
Sustainable cities
Responsible
consumption &
production
Literacy aids greater awareness of environmental issues, and is
also critical in reducing population growth, particularly by
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empowering women to choose their family size.6
13
14
15
Climate Action
Life below water
Life on land
Compared to many literacy programs, ALfA booklets are extremely
thin (just 72 pages to reach FLN), thus helping save paper and
reduce deforestation.
16
Peace, justice and
strong institutions
Literacy is critical to people’s ability to know their rights and
engage in civic institutions, including the judicial system.
17
Partnerships for
the goals
ALfA’s paired learning process embeds communication and
character skills, helping build a generation of collaborators.