Telling an Old Story with New Maps - Geographic Visualization: Concepts, Tools and Applications - page 76

5.2.6 Youth literacy
'Everyone has the right to education', according to the Universal Declaration of Human
Rights (1948). The second Millennium Development Goal is to achieve universal primary
education. In 2002, five out of six eligible children were enrolled in primary education
Figure 5.8 Territory size shows the proportion of all 15-24 years old who are literate that lives
there (Worldmapper Map 195)
Text Box 5.7: Youth Literacy
A minimal definition of literacy is being able to read, write and understand a short and
simple statement about one's everyday life. Of all 15-24 year olds living in the world,
88% are literate. Over half of this age group live in Asia.
Most of the young people living in most territories can read and write. Only five
territories have lower than 50% youth literacy rates. Four of these five are in Northern
Africa. Japan recorded the highest rate of youth literacy for a single territory.
The highest number of literate youth live in Eastern Asia, where the youth literacy
rate is 98.9%. Of the 12 regions, eight have youth literacy rates of over 95%.
The freedom promised by literacy is both freedom from - from ignorance, op-
pression, poverty - and freedom to - to do new things, to make choices, to learn.
(Koıchiro Matsuura, 2001)