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Literacy, in its most direct definition, is the ability to read, write, listen, comprehend, and speak alanguage. Historically it has been a collection of cultural and communicative practices shared amongmembers of particular groups.1 But society inevitably changes and so does literacy. In more recenttimes the term has evolved to refer specifically to the ability to read and write at a level adequate forcommunication or at a level that lets one understand and communicate abstract ideas.2To function well in the 21st century a person must possess a wide range of abilities and competencies,in essence many ‘literacies’. These ‘literacies’—from being able to read a newspaper to understandinginformation provided by a health care provider—are multiple, dynamic, and malleable.3 The UnitedNations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) also acknowledges the multidimensionalityof literacy, defining it as the "…ability to identify, understand, interpret, create,communicate, compute and use printed and written materials associated with varying contexts.Literacy involves a continuum of learning in enabling individuals to achieve their goals, to developtheir knowledge and potential, and to participate fully in their community and wider society."4Using the definition of literacy as the ability to read and write a simplesentence in any language, the United Nations reported that 80% of theworld's population was literate in 1998.5 Other estimates, using thedefinition "age 15 and over can read and write", placed the overall worldliteracy rate in 2008 at 82% (87% males and 77% females).6 Literacyrates vary widely from country to country and even from region toregion, a variation that often coincides with the region's wealth orurbanization. However, many factors can play a role; for example,certain social customs limit the education of females in some countries.Figure 1 presents literacy rates for countries around the globe
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