Global Action Week 2009 (April 20 to 26) focused on youth and adult literacy and life-long learning to raise awareness about the global literacy challenge.

Worldwide, some 776 million adults lack literacy skills, 75 million children are out of school and millions more leave school early without acquiring basic literacy and numeracy skills, according to the 2009 Global Monitoring Report.

The Global Action Week is an advocacy campaign organized each year by the Global Campaign for Education. The aim is to send a strong signal to policy-makers and the international community on the importance of one of the most neglected Education for All goals.

Literacy is a human right, a tool of personal empowerment and a means for social and human development. It is a fundamental condition for being part of today’s knowledge societies. Literacy is a key to reduce poverty, increase economic opportunities, improve child and maternal health, prevent HIV and AIDS and encourage political participation. More political commitment, more effective literacy programs and more funding are required to make literacy a basic right for all.