The right to education - Asia Pacific Knowledge Base on Open and ...

A multi-faceted <strong>right</strong>17Figure 1.1Estimated number of illiterate adults (aged 15and over) by major region of the world, 1950and 2000*1950(World <strong>to</strong>tal = 705 million)525<strong>Asia</strong>*AfricaLatin America/CaribbeanRest ofthe world10164941382000(World <strong>to</strong>tal = 875 million)For 1950, data for the <strong>Asia</strong>n countries of the former USSR are includedin Rest of the world.Source: Figures for 1950 are taken from World Illiteracy at Mid-Century,p. 15, Paris, UNESCO, 1957.1754110formal <strong>education</strong> beyond the elementary and fundamentalstages has expanded. Four out of fiveadults in the world <strong>to</strong>day are estimated <strong>to</strong> have atleast some simple literacy skills (see Appendix II,Table 3, page 114). Although the absolute numberof illiterate adults in the world is larger than it wasin 1948 (Figure 1.1), it is now estimated <strong>to</strong> befalling, and the percentage of illiterate adults inevery region of the world has significantlydeclined (Figure 1.2).Yet, despite these advances, it is uncertain howmuch real progress has been made. <strong>The</strong> problemis not just one of assessing trends in opportunitiesfor access <strong>to</strong> <strong>education</strong>. <strong>The</strong> <strong>right</strong> <strong>to</strong> <strong>education</strong>was conceived from the beginning as having aqualitative as well as a quantitative aspect. ‘Educationshall be directed <strong>to</strong> the full development ofthe human personality and <strong>to</strong> the strengtheningof respect for human <strong>right</strong>s and fundamentalFigure 1.2Estimated adult illiteracy rates by major regionof the world, 1950 and 2000%100world’s adults could read and write a simple passageabout their everyday lives. For those whodrew up and adopted the Declaration, it was vital<strong>to</strong> ensure first that access <strong>to</strong> and participation in<strong>education</strong> should be universal: ‘Education shall befree, at least in the elementary and fundamentalstages’, and ‘Elementary <strong>education</strong> shall becompulsory’. At the same time, ‘Technical and professional<strong>education</strong> shall be made generally availableand higher <strong>education</strong> shall be equally accessible<strong>to</strong> all on the basis of merit’.Educational opportunities have greatly increasedin the years since the Declaration wasproclaimed. A majority of the world’s youngpeople now go <strong>to</strong> school, and participation in*80604020084%39%63%25%42%12%Africa <strong>Asia</strong>* Latin America/Caribbean<strong>The</strong> same footnote applies as for Figure 1.1.Source: Same as for Figure 1.1.1950 20007%1%Rest ofthe world