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According to the Metadata table provided in UNESCO's statistical data, each country of the world has a different definition of literacy.  For the sake of this informational presentation, literacy will be defined as the ability to "identify, understand, interpret, create, communicate and compute using printed and written materials’ associated with varied contexts"  "Today literacy is seen as a continuum of skills that enables  individuals  to achieve  their goals in work and life" (UNESCO, 2005).  "Today literacy is seen as a continuum of skills that enables  individuals  to achieve  their goals in work and life" (UNESCO, 2015).

UNESCO’s  definition of ‘literacy’ in the 1950s was "merely an ability to ‘read and write, with understanding, a short, simple statement about everyday life’."  Literacy has evolved and by 1990,  it was recognized as a "skill that directly contributes to the well being of people in general.

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Global Factors Contributing to the Current Adult Literacy Levels

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Global Factors Contributing to the Current Adult Literacy Levels

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Impediments

Global commitment was weak; funding was not allocated adequately to fund local programs

Variations in definitions have hampered up to date global assessment of literacy rates

Based on direct assessment, the world is even further from universal adult literacy than official estimates suggest

Direct assessment results are at times misinterpreted

Presumed literacy for those that have completed primary school

Even in high income countries, a large  minority of adults have only very low levels of proficiency in reading (OECD, 2013c).

Facilitators

Emergence of gender parity and now the rates for literacy among women has improved

The OECD developed the Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC)

PIACC extends the literacy domains that was covered in the International Adult Literacy Survey of
the 1990s, and builds on the Adult Literacy and Life Skills Survey administered in 2003-2007

The scaled levels and scores of PIAAC offer the ability to compare across countries, education attainment levels and types of employment.

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Local Factors Contributing to the Current Adult Literacy Levels

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Local Factors Contributing to the Current Adult Literacy Levels

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Impediments

Economics:  The poorest countries often show the lowest rates of adult literacy

Literacy programs inadequately funded

Lack of comparable sources as national definitions often change too

Demand for literacy has grown less than expected, and literacy outcomes have not improved among adults

Nationally owned literacy campaigns and programs declined in the 1990's

Resurgence lacks coordination and capacity  and prevents them from making a visible impact

Attempts to introduce the mother tongue as a method of  of instruction in adult literacy programs has not been fruitful

Programs in developing countries have been insufficient

Facilitators

Resource management initiatives create opportunities where literacy skills are needed

Changes attributed to skill acquisition through literacy programs or other opportunities in life

Improvement in the adult literacy rate has occurred as single illiterate adult are replaced by younger literate adults in specific age groups used in data acquisition

Increased rates of formal schooling for women

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Need for a more consistent monitoring

Need for consistent definition of literacy

Allow for comparison

Literacy requires more opportunities to use, improve and retain literacy skills

Rapid expansion of communication technologies is promising

Can be used to promote stronger literacy environments and reading practices

Mobile phone usage increases demand for literacy skills with the need to text and email (Lacks clear evidence of  their impact on improving literacy skills)