Literacy – a window into the future for women

Caitlin Ryan, Communication & Education Assistant

“Literacy unlocks the door to learning throughout life, is essential to development and health, and opens the way for democratic participation and active citizenship.”
Kofi Annan
Many of us take literacy for granted. We consider it to be a right not a privilege, but many women are denied this basic right.

Women who have no access to literacy are greatly disadvantaged, missing out on many opportunities that might otherwise be available to them. For these women, access to literacy is a means towards the elimination of poverty and injustice. It works by increasing women’s employment opportunities (by reducing women’s reliance on informal and un-waged employment), reducing occupational segregation, increasing participation in public life and awareness of human rights, and by improving access to political processes.

In Australia we are currently seeing a resurgence of awareness around gender issues and inequity. With Julia Gillard as our first woman Deputy Prime Minister, and Quentin Bryce filling the role of Governor General, women are becoming more visible in leadership roles and political life in Australia. There is a feeling of movement towards structural change, where women hold more decision-making positions and are more visibly engaged in political processes. Yet there is a long way to go – there is still no country in the world where women’s wages equal that of their male counterparts and women still own only 1% of the world’s property. A fundamental way of addressing this inequity is through literacy.

Also in this issue:

• Letter from the Executive Director
• IWDA has moved!Our new location is
• Vale Pamela Bone
• International Women’s Day 2008!
• GFFTL, Project Partner, East Timor
• Kantha Shakthi, Project Partner, Sri Lanka
• Thai-Burma Border
• Women, chillis and the blue, blue sea; addressing gender inequities in the Maldives.
• Feast 2008!
• Herstory: Maree Keating
• WINTER WARMERS

There is still time to donate to our mid-year appeal!

Click here to help enable women in East Timor to access civic literacy training.