Updated 15 September 2014

The Soroptimist International UN Representative
team in Paris has been instrumental in organising an event at UNESCO to mark International
Literacy Day today.

Soroptimist International of Europe Executive Director Anne Simon was one of the speakers at the event,  standing in for SIE’s President-Elect Maria-Elisabetta de Franciscis who had to withdraw due to a  family emergency.  She spoke on the topic: "A Program for Women and Girls – Towards the Success of Education for All and Sustainable Development.”

The message is clear – literacy is
a crucial part of education which contributes to the empowerment of
individuals and society.

SI UN Representative Evelyne Para, who was instrumental in
the organisation of this event, explains why it is so important: “The Working Group of
UNESCO PARIS and S.I. Representatives want to capitalize on successful actions,
and to share strategies applied in various geographical and cultural contexts.
These strategies will be listed in a directory of good practices. Other
organizations of civil society, as well as governments, will learn from these
practices, adapting them to their specific environment.”

Evelyne’s involvement in the event
enabled her to share SI’s expertise around the world. “SI can use this opportunity to promote its values. There are many
successful actions performed by SI and its members over many years – Lifelong
Education is one of our key goals all over the world.”

Illiteracy remains one of the biggest barriers to women and
girls achieving equality world-wide. The Millennium Development Goals are now
well known by many. But there are also 6 Education for All goals which will not
be met by the 2015 expiration date. NGO recommendations that arise out of
today’s event in Paris will be incorporated into the UNESCO agenda for 2015 and
beyond. Evelyne Para will be involved in producing the summary of key
recommendations.

Achieving the Education for All goals and universal literacy
is seen as essential for lifelong learning and helping marginalised groups,
particularly women and girls, to gain skills needed for employability. Literacy
is already a central element to Soroptimist International’s goals and
objectives, which is why SI involvement in international events such as the NGO
UNESCO event is crucial. But with so much still to achieve, literacy is going
to remain to be a major issue in the coming years.

More about Soroptimist action to promote literacy around the world.