In the world, various organizations advocate for the education and some specifically for the education of young and adult people. As examples, we can mention UNESCO, ProLiteracy (https://proliteracy.org/) and ICAE – International Council for Adult Education (http://icae.global/) and it is about these mentioned last that we are going to bring some information. About the first one, according to its website, ProLiteracy is an organization that “for more than 60 years, (…) has been working across the globe to change lives and communities through the power of literacy” and that “works through a global network of 30 partner programs in 25 countries.” These countries are located in Latin America, Africa, Asia and the Middle East. The partners are local non-profit organizations that range between basic educational programs and non-literacy entities like health organizations, human rights agencies and community libraries. Its aim is to provide three things: teacher training, capacity building and grants to support literacy instruction and also to produce content instruction in native language. They also link several different areas of community development such as: Economic self-reliance, health, education, environment, human rights, women status, peace and democracy. The approach of the organization is to adjust, translate and find literacy materials which consider carefully about necessities and reality of the learners.

“About 36 million adults in the U.S – and almost 800 million worldwide – struggle with basic reading, writing and math skills. These individuals struggle to read a menu, fill out a job application or read a bedtime story to their children. ProLiteracy removes the hurdles that stand in the way of their goals.” (ProLiteracy).

“Helping adults gain literacy skills helps reduce poverty, improve public health and advance human rights around the world.” (ProLiteracy).

“To make these existing efforts even stronger, we increase the capacity and quality of adult literacy programs through technical assistance, professional development, training and content development.” (ProLiteracy).

          Now, about ICAE – International Council for Adult Education, according to its page, the Council is a “global network with a specific mandate to advocate for youth and adult learning and education (ALE) as a universal human right.” Created in 1973, it is a non-profit organization that has seven regional bodies: Africa, Arab Region, Asia, Caribbean, Europe, Latin and North America, representing more than 800 NGOs in more than 75 countries. It is registered in Montevideo, Uruguay. It is an organization associated with UNESCO, has consultative status at the ECOSOC – United Nations Economic and Social Council, observer status at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and also UNEP – United Nations Environmental Programme. According to the website “it is a strategic network that promotes adult learning and education as a tool for active citizenship and informed participation of people.” One of the activities that ICAE aims to achieve is “to act and work as an advocate for learning and education for adults and young people wherever and whenever needed.”

“ICAE’s mission is to promote learning and education for adults and young people in pursuit of social justice within the framework of human right in all its dimensions, to secure the healthy, sustainable and democratic development of individuals, communities and societies.”

By: Luísa Carolina de Sousa e Herculano