Presents public policy issues that affect literacy among women. Discusses the economic jeopardy cycle of illiteracy, increased labor force participation of women, and family needs as factors which compel advocacy for programs aimed at increasing female literacy levels. Examines the illiteracy rate among women and its effect on employment. Includes…

Discusses the needs of women who are returning to school for adult basic education. Provides suggestions for meeting the needs of this group in terms of professional action, counselor education, teacher training, grants, financial support, publication, and volunteerism. (JAC)

Describes a functional literacy program successfully carried out in a very remote district in the mountains of Nepal. Describes the program's successes in increasing literacy, self-confidence, community awareness, and social awareness among Nepali women. Discusses keys to this success. (SR)

Examines the relationship between education and the socioeconomic development of the English-speaking Caribbean, and the role of continuing education in this process. Looks at the participation of women in education and draws attention to recent government initiatives on adult education and literacy that may be of help to women. (CH)

The gap in literacy rates between women and men continually broadens. In 1985, 63 percent of the world's approximately 1,000 million illiterate people were female, compared to 60 percent in 1970 and 58 percent in 1960. A process of social change, including community involvement and mobilization in favor of women's literacy, is needed to sustain…

Global figures that reveal the magnitude of the problem of illiteracy in the world disguise great disparities. For example, most of the illiteracy in the world is in developing countries. Therefore, it is preferable, and more appropriate in terms of numerical importance, to concentrate the analysis of illiteracy on developing countries. Such…