For Immediate Release
Office of Mrs. Bush
February 13, 2003
Remarks by Mrs. Bush at UNESCO - Decade of Literacy
Thank you, Mr. Matsuura, for your warm welcome. Welcome, President
Bagabandi and the First Lady of Mongolia, to the United States. Thank
you for your support to make this Decade of Literacy a reality. Welcome,
your Royal Highness Princess Firyal of Jordan. And thank you, Secretary
General Annan, Dr. Paige, Ambassadors Negroponte and Luers, and Dr.
LeClerc. Each of you inspires us with your commitment to education and
I am privileged to serve with you as the Honorary Ambassador for the
Decade of Literacy.
The New York Public Library in New York City is the perfect place
to launch the Decade of Literacy. This library and this city exemplify
what we hope the next decade will bring to every corner of the world --
knowledge and freedom. Since immigrants first arrived here, New York
has stood as a symbol of freedom to the world. And the New York Public
Library has served New York's readers for more than a century.
In this library is Thomas Jefferson's copy of the Declaration of
Independence. This document inspired a free America -- one where life,
liberty and the pursuit of happiness could be realized through
education for all. Today, as we embark upon a Decade of Literacy, we
commit ourselves to this promise for every man, woman and child.
All people deserve the opportunity to learn to read and write.
Literacy is a precondition to education. But one in five people in the
world can not read. Nearly 900 million adults in the world are
illiterate -- and 113 million children who are not in school risk the
same fate. Today, education for all must not just be an ideal -- it must
be a reality. Advancing education is fundamental to the development of
nations and of generations. Through this Decade of Literacy,
governments will commit to bring universal and gender-equal education
and greater literacy to the world. These are not simply goals for the
next decade -- these are moral responsibilities every nation must
embrace.
For people throughout the world, literacy is freedom -- the freedom
to learn independently and continuously throughout life. Literacy gives
us the freedom to transform ourselves from who we are to who we want to
become. Literacy gave Pampay Usman the freedom to become a better
mother and citizen. Pampay traveled here from the Philippines to share
her inspiring story. She spoke earlier this morning to help launch the
Decade of Literacy.
Growing up in the Philippines, Pampay did not have the opportunity
to go to school. After she married, she stayed home with her children.
Although she could not read or write, Pampay managed a small market. It
was hard and frustrating work. She couldn't write the names of her
neighbors or the goods they bought on credit. She had to remember their
faces and every item they purchased. She couldn't go to the market alone because she couldn't read the price of groceries or the street signs to find her way home.
The day Pampay joined an adult literacy class in her small village,
her life changed forever. She learned how to write her name and
address. She learned to read prices on groceries. Her business grew.
She was able to vote in the elections and to write the candidates'
names herself. Pampay said, "Literacy brings trust and confidence in my
life."
For people throughout the world, literacy is also power -- the power
to reshape their communities and their own destinies. It's the power to
improve socially and financially. In Brazil, literacy is empowering
entire communities through the Solidarity in Literacy Program.
Companies in Brazil adopt neighborhoods with high illiteracy rates and
citizens adopt students. Last year, 170 thousand teachers helped 3.6
million students learn to read and write. Literacy rates have increased
dramatically in cities like Rio de Janeiro and Brasilia. The benefits
of the Solidarity in Literacy Program have extended beyond literacy. In
participating districts, improvements have been made in schools and in
public services, including lighting, transportation and sanitation.
For people throughout the world, literacy is also an opportunity --
the opportunity to make a better life for themselves and their
families. Learning to read and write English provided Alma and her
family with the opportunity for a new life in America. Alma immigrated
to the United States from Mexico nearly 15 years ago. She had a nursing
degree, but she couldn't get a job. She knew little English and was
frustrated because communicating with others was difficult. Alma and
her family joined a literacy program in Texas and they learned to read
and write English. Today Alma and her husband have earned their
American high school diplomas. Her children are reading above grade
level in their schools. And Alma works full-time in the literacy
program helping others.
Alma said of learning to read her new language, "My self-confidence
has grown because I have learned to speak and read English. My children
have learned very good reading and social skills too. It's a very good
feeling to be able to read to my children and help them with their
homework."
In every country and culture, literacy means freedom, power and
opportunity. And literacy programs that are giving adults and children
this freedom are making a remarkable difference. With strong leadership
from all nations and a commitment to education we can make greater
progress. The progress we have already made must inspire and direct our
goals in this Decade of Literacy. And we'll need this inspiration
because we have a long way to go.
We can start by educating every child by creating sustainable
school environments for all children. In developing countries, one in
three children does not complete five years of primary education -- and
113 million children worldwide are not in school.
In Mongolia, though, more children are gaining the opportunity to
go to school.
There, primary education is now mandatory for children eight years
of age and older -- and more than 96 percent of children are enrolled in
primary school, while 80 percent are enrolled in secondary school. And
progress is being made in Guatemala's el Quich province, where primary
school enrollment for girls has increased from 62 percent to 94 percent
since 1997. Every village, community and country can learn from these
examples and continue this progress.
In this Decade of Literacy, we must close the gender gap and ensure
more women and girls are educated. Of the world's nearly 900 million
illiterate adults, two thirds are female. In more than 45 countries,
only 1 in 4 girls are enrolled in secondary school. Education is vital
for everyone, but like the Secretary General said, it is most important
for girls. UN studies show that illiterate girls marry as early as
eleven years of age and may have up to seven children before the age of
18. Girls who go to school are likely to marry later and to have
smaller, healthier families. Educated women understand the importance
of health care and nutrition. Mothers with a secondary education have
36 percent lower child mortality rates than mothers with only a primary
education.
Today in Peru more than one million girls are going to school
since legislation was passed allowing them to go. In Nepal 120
thousand women are becoming literate through a women's empowerment
program. And in Benin women are being taught how to manage
agricultural cooperatives and run their own businesses.
In this Decade of Literacy we must create learning environments
for refugees and for the millions affected by poverty and HIV and AIDS.
For them -- education is the key to survival. Education can give the
more than 22 million refugees in the world structure and independence
in their lives. Strong learning environments are now being built in
Afghanistan where the adult illiteracy rate is 70 percent. ProLiteracy
Worldwide is training 250 teachers to provide families with literacy
and vocational training to rebuild their communities. They're also
translating manuals into Farsi and Pashto to fit the local cultural
context. UNESCO is establishing community learning centers throughout
the country and training literacy teachers.
School systems that have been decimated by AIDS must also be
rebuilt. More than ten million children under 15 have been orphaned by
AIDS. Many have lost not only parents and loved ones, but their
teachers as well. Education is critical for these children. Preventive
education will teach them the facts about AIDS; and they can learn the
skills they need to support themselves and their families.
In working to accomplish these objectives, the nations of the world
should develop strong partnerships, programs and funding resources. All
countries must commit to these goals -- both those who face a literacy
challenge and those who can help end it. Throughout America's history,
education has been the major instrument for progress. We can bring this
progress to every nation.
To meet this goal, the United States is investing 333 million
dollars in international primary, secondary and college education this
year. Of this amount, almost 200 million dollars will be spent on basic
education with 100 million dollars for education in Africa. We will
also fund skills and information technology training and partnerships
that link universities and students in the United States with students
worldwide. In addition, our new Millennium Challenge Account will
increase our overall development assistance by 50 percent.
Education is the most important long-term investment we can make in our future. Education reflects our love and our belief in freedom.
It is freedom itself. And with UNESCO's leadership, freedom can be
realized throughout the world with the promise of Education for all. In
this Decade of Literacy let every nation work towards education for
all so that every person will know freedom, power and opportunity.
Thank you.
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