How Does Adult Illiteracy Contribute to Poverty?

According to UNESCO, 773 million children and adults worldwide are illiterate, meaning they lack basic reading, writing and math skills to help them navigate their daily lives.¹ Illiteracy traps people in cycles of low self-esteem, debt and poverty. Illiterate adults cannot complete medical, governmental or job applications and forms, or read medicine labels or street signs. Illiterate adults may only qualify for jobs that require long hours in hazardous work that offer minimal pay. Low-income jobs increase the risk of illness and injury, and they are often insufficient to provide for a family. Adult illiteracy negatively affects families and their communities.

Parents who did not receive an education are less likely to put their children in school and encourage them in their education. Through education, children learn valuable literacy, math and relational skills. These skills are vital to escaping poverty because they allow children to hope. If children can graduate from secondary school, that increases their chances of gaining jobs with better pay than their parents and even looking for better opportunities. Literacy breaks cycles of generational poverty and helps adults advocate for themselves and their families.