Literacy, as part of education, is a fundamental human right. Yet there are, according to UNESCO, 781 million illiterate adults (over the age of 15) around the globe. Over 63% of those adults are women. In countries like Niger, literacy rates are as low as 24%.

Fundamental human rights are just that — fundamental. These figures are also important because literacy (and numeracy) is one of the key ingredients to ending extreme poverty. As former UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova said in 2015: “The future starts with the alphabet.”

So, which countries have the highest illiteracy rates? Why are illiteracy rates that high in these countries? How can we decrease illiteracy rates?