When it became clear that existing literacy efforts would not be enough to enable some countries to reach Education for All (EFA) Goal 4 (a 50 percent improvement in levels of adult literacy), UNESCO launched the Literacy Initiative for Empowerment (LIFE, 2006-2015). 35 countries with literacy rates below 50 percent and/or a population of more than 10 million youth and adults without literacy competencies were invited to participate. LIFE country governments, civil society, the private sector and development partners are expected to take a key role in its implementation. UNESCO's role, meanwhile, is to facilitate these country-led processes and provide or help to mobilise the support needed. After three years of implementing LIFE, there is sufficient evidence that it has indeed proven an effective framework for the acceleration of literacy efforts in many countries and that it is helping to transform a great many people's lives. This review assesses the progress of the LIFE implementation process in relation to the initiative's four strategic objectives: (1) advocacy and communication to make literacy a priority on the agenda of different stakeholders and create a momentum for jointly accelerating literacy efforts; (2) capacity-building for the development of policies for sustainable and empowering literacy; (3) capacity-building for the delivery of empowering literacy programmes of good quality; and (4) sharing knowledge and inspiring innovations to continuously improve literacy policies and practices. Numerous examples point to a renewed commitment to literacy, reflected in increased budgetary allocations, the mobilisation of new learners, stronger capacities among the policymakers and literacy providers, the piloting and dissemination of innovative approaches to literacy, and in the flourishing of partnerships and South-South cooperations that have evolved. Appended are: (1) Countries participating in LIFE; and (2) LIFE logframe. (Contains 10 boxes, 73 footnotes, and 5 online resources.)