Literacy: the keys of success. (From The United Nations).The United Nations Committee on Teaching About the UN (CTAUN CTAUN Committee on Teaching About the United Nations ) recently held an international conference titled, "Literacy Now: Building an Educated World." One of your UN representatives attended the conference, as both CTAUN and ACEI ACEI Angiotensin Converting Enzyme Inhibitor ACEI Association for Childhood Education International ACEI Association of Consulting Engineers of Ireland share a mission to equip and empower educators to effectively integrate global issues about children and families into the curriculum. The ability to read may well be the most effective tool for eradicating poverty and sustaining the healthy development of children and families in any country. With over 113 million children worldwide not attending school, however, the issue of literacy is certainly a global one. Thorava Obaid of the UN Population Fund emphatically stated, "Education is the most important factor for a productive society." Lesley Morrow, President-elect of the International Reading Association, re-emphasized the theme of the conference by highlighting the importance of children's emerging literacy in the early years. She also called for increased attention to quality teacher education worldwide. Morrow suggested that schools consider a stronger mentoring program for all first-year teachers. Jones Kyozzi, Director of UNESCO UNESCO: see United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization. UNESCO in full United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization , linked education, advocacy, and literacy as the keys for helping many children rise out of the life-threatening situations in which they live. Our attention must be focused on all children, including girls, as we close the international gender gap. Elaine Furniss, Senior Advisor for the Education and Program Division of UNICEF UNICEF (y  `nĭsĕf'), the United Nations Children's Fund, an affiliated agency of the United Nations. , highlighted the Millennium Goals for all nations.
Despite the cultural roots of gender inequality in education, the world
community must continually remind all nations of their commitment to
provide education for all children, under the provision of the
Convention on the Rights of the Child The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, often referred to as CRC or UNCRC, is an international convention setting out the civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights of children. .
Meg Gardiner, Director of NGO's U.S. Fund for UNICEF, highlighted the world goals of "A World Fit for Children: A Global Plan of Action,' and of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (www.unicef.org). She also called for increased participation of youth, as they certainly proved themselves to be effective advocates and speakers during the UN Special Session on Children during May 2002. "We need to listen to the children," she said. Nane Annan, author, lawyer, artist, advocate, and wife of UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, inspired and affirmed teachers as she opened the afternoon session. "Teaching opens children's eyes to creativity and independence, as it frees children to imagine and thus create a new world," she said. She also emphasized literacy as a tool of empowerment for girls around the world who have no voice. Whether we are working with young children, youth, or adults, literacy and the love of learning are the keys to their success. We hold those keys. Suggested Resources NETWORK AND DIRECTORIES * American Literacy Directory: www.literacydirectory.org * International Literacy Network: www.theiln.org * National Coalition for Literacy: www.natcoalitionliteracy.org UNITED NATIONS AGENCIES WITH LITERACY RESOURCES * UN CyberSchoolbus: www.un.org/cyberschoolbus * UNESCO: www.unesco.org/education * UNICEF: www.unicef.org/programme/education * World Bank Group: www.worldbank.org/html/schools/ NOT-FOR-PROFIT LITERACY RESOURCE ORGANIZATIONS * American Library Association/Office of Literacy and Outreach Services: www.ala.org/olos * Friendship Through Education--Diane Midness: www.friendshipthrougheducation.org * Get Caught Reading- Kathryn Blough: www.getcaughtreading.com * International Literacy Institute: www.literacyonline.org * International Reading Association: www.reading.org * Literacy Assistance Center: www.lacnyc.org * Literacy Partners--Susan McLean: www.literacypartners.org * Literacy Web at the University of Connecticut The University of Connecticut is the State of Connecticut's land-grant university. It was founded in 1881 and serves more than 27,000 students on its six campuses, including more than 9,000 graduate students in multiple programs. UConn's main campus is in Storrs, Connecticut. : www.literacy.uconn.edu/index.htm * National Alliance of Urban Literacy Coalitions: www.naulc.org * National Center for ESL (1) An earlier family of client/server development tools for Windows and OS/2 from Ardent Software (formerly VMARK). It was originally developed by Easel Corporation, which was acquired by VMARK. Literacy Education (NCLE NCLE National Contact Lens Examiners NCLE Newcastle upon Tyne (United Kingdom) NCLE National Centre for Legal Education ): www.cal.org/ncle * National Center for Family Literacy The National Center for Family Literacy (NCFL) is an organization set up to create educational and economic opportunity for the most at-risk children and parents. Background Since its founding in 1989, NCFL has been providing a lot of different services. : www.famlit.org * National Center on Adult Literacy (NCAL NCAL Northern California NCAL National Center on Adult Literacy NCAL National Center for Assisted Living ): www.literacy.org/litlink.html and PBS PBS in full Public Broadcasting Service Private, nonprofit U.S. corporation of public television stations. PBS provides its member stations, which are supported by public funds and private contributions rather than by commercials, with educational, cultural, Literacy Link: www.pbs.org/literacy * NetAidFoundation: www.netaid.org * Peace Corps World Wise Schools/Peace Corps New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of Office: www.peacecorps.gov/wws * Proliteracy Worldwide: www.proliteracy.org * Putumayo Cross Cultural Initiative: www.putumayo.org * Reach Out and Read: www.reachoutandread.org * RIF--Reading Is Fundamental: www.rif.org * Rotary international: www.rotary.org * Teachers Without Borders: www.teacherswithoutborders.org FOR-PROFIT LITERACY RESOURCE ORGANIZATIONS * Scholastic: http://teacher.scholastic.com * Verizon Reads: www.verizonreads.net U.S. GOVERNMENT LITERACY RESOURCE ORGANIZATIONS * National Institute for Literacy (NIFL NIFL National Institute for Literacy NIFL National Indoor Football League ): www.nifi.gov * U.S. Department of Education, Office of Vocational and Adult Education The Office of Vocational and Adult Education (OVAE) is a subdivision of the United States Department of Education. OVAE falls under the supervision of the Undersecretary, who oversees policies, programs and activities related to vocational and adult education, postsecondary : www.ed.gov/offices/OVAE Reference UNESCO. (2002). Literacy: The 877 million left behind. Education Today (2). New York: Author. -- Eileen Bayer and Lynn Staley, ACEI Representatives to the UN |
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