Beyond 3Rs to learning within political action to functional literacy to life skills, the discourse on adult literacy has primarily been defined by civil society organizations. This article presents thoughts on adult literacy programs coming from educators and advocates and the underlying dilemmas of autonomy and collaboration with government for adult literacy. Faced with growing illiteracy among adults and adolescents, civil society has been arguing for more government investments to strategic, relevant and sustained adult literacy programs. What and how policy advocacy will work for adult literacy and how to urge CONFINTEA VI to respond to these calls are key to the discussions that this paper hopes to generate. (Contains 2 notes.) [Abstract presented in English, Spanish, and French.]