Data

Gender parity in youth literacy rates

What you should know about this indicator

Long definition from World Bank: Gender parity index for youth literacy rate is the ratio of females to males ages 15-24 who can both read and write with understanding a short simple statement about their everyday life.

Source from World Bank: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS). UIS.Stat Bulk Data Download Service. Accessed September 19, 2023. https://apiportal.uis.unesco.org/bdds.

Statistical concept and methodology from World Bank: This indicator is calculated by dividing female youth literacy rate by male youth literacy rate.

Literacy statistics for most countries cover the population ages 15 and older, but some include younger ages or are confined to age ranges that tend to inflate literacy rates. The youth literacy rate for ages 15-24 reflects recent progress in education. It measures the accumulated outcomes of primary education over the previous 10 years or so by indicating the proportion of the population who have passed through the primary education system and acquired basic literacy and numeracy skills. Generally, literacy also encompasses numeracy, the ability to make simple arithmetic calculations.

Data on literacy are compiled by the UNESCO Institute for Statistics based on national censuses and household surveys and, for countries without recent literacy data, using the Global Age-Specific Literacy Projection Model (GALP). For detailed information, see www.uis.unesco.org.

Limitations and exceptions from World Bank: In practice, literacy is difficult to measure. Estimating literacy rates requires census or survey measurements under controlled conditions. Many countries report the number of literate people from self-reported data. Some use educational attainment data as a proxy but apply different lengths of school attendance or levels of completion. Ant there is a trend among recent national and international surveys toward using a direct reading test of literacy skills. Because definitions and methods of data collection differ across countries, data should be used cautiously.

License type from World Bank: CC BY-4.0

Development relevance from World Bank: Literacy rate is an outcome indicator to evaluate educational attainment. This data can predict the quality of future labor force and can be used in ensuring policies for life skills for men and women.

It can be also used as a proxy instrument to see the effectiveness of education system; a high literacy rate suggests the capacity of an education system to provide a large population with opportunities to acquire literacy skills. The accumulated achievement of education is fundamental for further intellectual growth and social and economic development, although it doesn't necessarily ensure the quality of education.

The Gender Parity Index (GPI) indicates parity between girls and boys. A GPI of less than 1 suggests girls are more disadvantaged than boys in learning opportunities and a GPI of greater than 1 suggests the other way around. Eliminating gender disparities in education would help increase the status and capabilities of women. Literate women implies that they can seek and use information for the betterment of the health, nutrition and education of their household members. Literate women are also empowered to play a meaningful role.

World Bank variable id: SE.ADT.1524.LT.FM.ZS

Source
World Bank - Women, Business and the Law (2024) – processed by Our World in Data
Last updated
June 10, 2024
Next expected update
June 2025
Date range
1970–2023
Unit
index

Sources and processing

This data is based on the following sources

The World Bank Gender Statistics dataset provides a comprehensive range of gender-related indicators grouped by various topics. These indicators are categorized under different themes such as education, employment and time use, entrepreneurship, environment, health, leadership, norms and decision-making, technology, violence, and contextual information. Each category contains numerous specific indicators, covering a wide range of issues such as literacy rates, employment by sector, legal rights, health statistics, and more. This dataset offers detailed information and insights into various aspects of gender disparity and equality across different regions and countries.

Retrieved on
June 10, 2024
Citation
This is the citation of the original data obtained from the source, prior to any processing or adaptation by Our World in Data. To cite data downloaded from this page, please use the suggested citation given in Reuse This Work below.
World Bank Gender Statistics, World Bank, 2024. Licence: CC BY 4.0.

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“Data Page: Gender parity in youth literacy rates”. Our World in Data (2024). Data adapted from World Bank - Women, Business and the Law. Retrieved from https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/ratio-of-the-literacy-rate-between-young-women-and-men [online resource]
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World Bank - Women, Business and the Law (2024) – processed by Our World in Data

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World Bank - Women, Business and the Law (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. “Gender parity in youth literacy rates” [dataset]. World Bank - Women, Business and the Law, “World Bank Gender Statistics” [original data]. Retrieved October 15, 2024 from https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/ratio-of-the-literacy-rate-between-young-women-and-men