In September 1965, Tehran hosted the World Congress of Ministers of Education on the Eradication of Illiteracy. The Congress recommended that UNESCO should draw attention of the international community to eradication of illiteracy. UNESCO took heed of the advice. In 1966, 8 September, the day of the official Congress opening, was announced the International Literacy Day.

However, it is too early to celebrate anything as less than 50 countries in the world provide the universal access to elementary education. 60.7 million children do not go to school. A fifth of the planet’s population do not know letters of the mother tongue. Sub-Saharan Africa and South and West Asia have the least literate populations. Poverty is the illiteracy’s twin sister. Its brother is the abuse of women.