Seventy percent of ten year olds in low and middle income countries cannot read. UNESCO estimates show that global literacy targets will be missed without faster progress and that hundreds of millions of adults still lack basic skills. The sections below detail the scale of these shortfalls among children out of school, refugees, and low education groups along with their links to earnings, health, and financial access.
Key Takeaways
- UNESCO estimates that literacy progress will likely miss global targets without acceleration, with large absolute numbers of illiterate adults remaining (UNESCO/UIS)
- UNESCO’s GEM report highlights that progress in literacy is uneven and slows where crisis and conflict persist (UNESCO GEM report)
- In low- and middle-income countries, Learning Poverty increased attention by quantifying that 70% of 10-year-olds cannot read; this is measured via standardized learning assessments (World Bank)
- At least 250 million children are currently out of school globally, increasing risk of later illiteracy and low foundational reading skills (UNICEF/UNESCO education estimates)
- Refugees face significantly reduced access to education and learning; UNHCR reports that 61% of refugee youth (15–24) were not in education, training, or employment (UNHCR)
- In many low-income countries, literacy rates for adults remain under 70%, with the largest gaps in women and rural populations (UNDP/HDR education indicators)
- UNESCO links adult literacy to reduced poverty and improved economic opportunities through better employability and civic participation (UNESCO GMR)
- The World Bank reports that schooling and literacy are strongly linked to productivity; improved learning outcomes can increase lifetime earnings by a sizable share (World Bank education learning/reform analysis)
- Low literacy affects access to financial services: literacy barriers reduce ability to use financial products, with the OECD noting significant impacts on financial inclusion (OECD)
- UNESCO’s Global Action Plan for literacy includes a target to halve the number of illiterate people by 2025 relative to 2015 levels (UNESCO framework)
- The Sustainable Development Goal 4.6 targets universal literacy and numeracy by 2030 (UN SDG official text)
- The Global Education Monitoring Report 2023/4 includes policy guidance on accelerating progress in foundational skills and literacy (UNESCO GMR)
- Low literacy is strongly associated with rural residence: rural populations have lower literacy proficiency than urban populations in many national assessments (UNESCO UIS/field syntheses compiled in World Literacy Foundation).
- Adults with low education attainment are far more likely to have low literacy skills: 65% of adults with no more than lower secondary education are low literacy in PIAAC participants (OECD/PIAAC evidence).
- In OECD PIAAC data, 47% of adults with a migration background are low performers in literacy in participating countries (OECD/PIAAC evidence).
Hundreds of millions still struggle to read, and progress is uneven, risking lifelong economic and health harms.
Related reading
01 · Category
Measurement & Trends12 stats
01
UNESCO estimates that literacy progress will likely miss global targets without acceleration, with large absolute numbers of illiterate adults remaining (UNESCO/UIS)
02
UNESCO’s GEM report highlights that progress in literacy is uneven and slows where crisis and conflict persist (UNESCO GEM report)
03
In low- and middle-income countries, Learning Poverty increased attention by quantifying that 70% of 10-year-olds cannot read; this is measured via standardized learning assessments (World Bank)
04
In 2021, UNESCO reported that about 53% of children could not read by age 10 in a global assessment, highlighting persistent reading deficits (UNESCO)
05
In PISA 2018, 2.5% of students in participating countries were top performers in reading, while about 23% were low performers (OECD, PISA 2018 results for reading)
06
U.S. NAAL reports that about 15% of adults have literacy levels that indicate they may struggle with everyday text; this corresponds to below-basic levels (NCES NAAL)
07
In Egypt, CAPMAS reports literacy rate improvements, with adult literacy reported at 75.4% (CAPMAS)
08
In the EU, about 1 in 4 adults have low literacy skills according to OECD’s Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC) (OECD)
09
OECD estimates that adults with low literacy skills are more likely to have poorer employment outcomes; PIAAC reports around 25% low literacy in many countries (OECD PIAAC synthesis)
10
UNICEF/WHO report that 53 million children are out of school in conflict-affected countries, impacting literacy development (UNICEF/education data)
11
In South Africa, the General Household Survey reported illiteracy rates decreasing, with 2022/23 showing a specific illiteracy share among adults (Stats SA)
12
A 2020 UNESCO report estimates that 771 million youth and adults lack basic skills; this includes literacy gaps (UNESCO)
Interpretation
Measurement & Trends Interpretation
Across major global assessments, progress remains too slow and uneven because hundreds of millions of people still cannot read well, including 53% of children unable to read by age 10 and 771 million youth and adults lacking basic skills, which shows why the Measurement and Trends category calls for faster acceleration toward literacy targets.
02 · Category
Demographics & Equity3 stats
01
At least 250 million children are currently out of school globally, increasing risk of later illiteracy and low foundational reading skills (UNICEF/UNESCO education estimates)
02
Refugees face significantly reduced access to education and learning; UNHCR reports that 61% of refugee youth (15–24) were not in education, training, or employment (UNHCR)
03
In many low-income countries, literacy rates for adults remain under 70%, with the largest gaps in women and rural populations (UNDP/HDR education indicators)
Interpretation
Demographics & Equity Interpretation
From a Demographics and Equity perspective, millions of children and young people are being left behind in education, including 250 million out of school globally and 61% of refugee youth not in education or training, while adult literacy stays below 70% in many low income countries with the steepest gaps for women and rural communities.
03 · Category
Socioeconomic Impact6 stats
01
UNESCO links adult literacy to reduced poverty and improved economic opportunities through better employability and civic participation (UNESCO GMR)
02
The World Bank reports that schooling and literacy are strongly linked to productivity; improved learning outcomes can increase lifetime earnings by a sizable share (World Bank education learning/reform analysis)
03
Low literacy affects access to financial services: literacy barriers reduce ability to use financial products, with the OECD noting significant impacts on financial inclusion (OECD)
04
The Lancet Public Health (peer-reviewed) reports that educational attainment and literacy are associated with health outcomes including mortality and chronic disease (peer-reviewed evidence)
05
A paper in 'Economics of Education Review' finds that literacy skills are significant predictors of earnings and employability (peer-reviewed study)
06
Adult basic education and literacy programs can improve labor-market outcomes; a meta-analysis shows positive effects on earnings and employment for adult learners (peer-reviewed meta-analysis)
Interpretation
Socioeconomic Impact Interpretation
Across multiple studies, the socioeconomic impact of illiteracy is consistently tied to measurable gains, with evidence from UNESCO and the World Bank showing that better literacy improves employability and productivity and can raise lifetime earnings, while the OECD links low literacy to reduced financial inclusion and peer reviewed research in health and education finds associations with outcomes like mortality, chronic disease, and earnings, indicating that strengthening adult literacy delivers broad economic and social benefits.
04 · Category
Interventions & Policy5 stats
01
UNESCO’s Global Action Plan for literacy includes a target to halve the number of illiterate people by 2025 relative to 2015 levels (UNESCO framework)
02
The Sustainable Development Goal 4.6 targets universal literacy and numeracy by 2030 (UN SDG official text)
03
The Global Education Monitoring Report 2023/4 includes policy guidance on accelerating progress in foundational skills and literacy (UNESCO GMR)
04
The Global Partnership for Education (GPE) supports education plans; GPE reports committing billions annually to education systems in partner countries including literacy priorities (GPE annual report)
05
UNICEF reports that learning recovery initiatives reached millions of children post-COVID-19, including early reading programs (UNICEF)
Interpretation
Interventions & Policy Interpretation
Under the Interventions and Policy angle, the global agenda is narrowing illiteracy with concrete time bound targets such as halving illiterate people by 2025 and achieving universal literacy and numeracy by 2030, while major partners like UNESCO, GPE, and UNICEF back this push with policy guidance and education system investments including early reading efforts reaching millions of children.
More related reading
05 · Category
Equity Gaps3 stats
01
Low literacy is strongly associated with rural residence: rural populations have lower literacy proficiency than urban populations in many national assessments (UNESCO UIS/field syntheses compiled in World Literacy Foundation).
02
Adults with low education attainment are far more likely to have low literacy skills: 65% of adults with no more than lower secondary education are low literacy in PIAAC participants (OECD/PIAAC evidence).
03
In OECD PIAAC data, 47% of adults with a migration background are low performers in literacy in participating countries (OECD/PIAAC evidence).
Interpretation
Equity Gaps Interpretation
Equity gaps in literacy are stark, with 47% of adults with a migration background performing as low literacy in OECD PIAAC data and 65% of adults with no more than lower secondary education falling into low literacy, showing how disadvantage compounds beyond location and schooling.
06 · Category
Foundational Skills4 stats
01
36% of students who participated in PISA 2022 are below the baseline proficiency level in reading (OECD PISA 2022 results: reading).
02
In PISA 2018, 2.5% of students are top performers in reading across participating countries (OECD PISA 2018 reading results).
03
In PISA 2022, 31% of students are below baseline proficiency in reading in the OECD average reported in OECD’s PISA 2022 reading release tables.
04
Reading skills are measured at scale: PISA 2022 uses a reading assessment framework with multiple proficiency levels; 0–1 represent below-baseline reading proficiency (OECD PISA 2022 technical report).
Interpretation
Foundational Skills Interpretation
In the Foundational Skills category, the data show that in PISA 2022 a large share of students, 31% on the OECD average and 36% overall below the baseline in reading, are not reaching basic competency levels, while only 2.5% were top performers in reading in PISA 2018.
07 · Category
Program Impact2 stats
01
A randomized evaluation meta-synthesis found adult basic education improved average literacy outcomes by about 0.3 standard deviations on average (peer-reviewed meta-analysis reported in review paper).
02
In a large-scale school reading intervention meta-analysis, structured phonics and fluency approaches increased reading comprehension outcomes by around 0.2–0.3 SD on average (peer-reviewed review in Child Development/related outlets).
Interpretation
Program Impact Interpretation
Under the Program Impact lens, randomized and large-scale evidence suggests adult basic education and structured reading interventions deliver measurable gains, averaging about 0.3 standard deviations in literacy and roughly 0.2 to 0.3 standard deviations in reading comprehension.
Reference
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APA
Marcus Afolabi. (2026, February 13). Illiteracy Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/illiteracy-statistics
MLA
Marcus Afolabi. "Illiteracy Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/illiteracy-statistics.
Chicago
Marcus Afolabi. 2026. "Illiteracy Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/illiteracy-statistics.
Sources & references
35 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level
+17 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)