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Each year on September 8, the world marks International Literacy Day, established by UNESCO in 1967 to remind governments and societies that literacy is not only a tool of education but also a basic human right. Literacy empowers individuals to participate fully in civic life, to access opportunities, and to protect themselves from exploitation. Without literacy, other rights—such as the right to work, health, and political participation—remain out of reach.
Despite enormous progress in recent decades, UNESCO reports that hundreds of millions of people worldwide still lack basic reading and writing skills. Many of them are children and youth, deprived of education because of poverty, child labor, armed conflict, or systemic discrimination. In too many countries, schools are underfunded, teachers unsupported, and children are forced into the workplace instead of the classroom. This situation is a direct violation of their rights and a collective failure of governments and societies.
Today, literacy goes beyond the ability to read printed texts. Digital literacy is essential for navigating the modern world, enabling young people to use technology responsibly and productively. Media literacy is equally crucial, equipping citizens to recognize misinformation and resist the manipulation of fake news. In an age of rapid technological change, failing to invest in these new dimensions of literacy risks deepening inequality and leaving entire communities behind.
Literacy is also deeply intergenerational: educating today’s children safeguards the future. When a child is denied education, the entire society loses, and cycles of poverty, exclusion, and violence are perpetuated. That is why governments, civil society organizations, and the international community must work together—through policy, funding, and collective action—to guarantee universal access to quality education and literacy programs.
From a cultural and spiritual perspective, literacy is also central to human dignity. In the Islamic tradition, knowledge and learning are highly valued, and some of the oldest universities in the world were founded in Muslim societies. Any interpretation of Islamic law (Sharia) or its practice that results in the exclusion of girls and women from education stands in contradiction with these traditions. This includes the famous sayings attributed to the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh&hp):
– “Seek knowledge even if it is in China”—a place which at that time was neither a Muslim society nor easily accessible.
– “Seeking knowledge is an obligation upon every Muslim man and woman.”
Such restrictive interpretations also contradict the heritage and broad understanding of Muslim communities, past and present. Indeed, some of the world’s oldest universities—such as al-Qarawiyyin University in Morocco, founded by Fatima al-Fihri in 859 CE—were established by Muslim women as lasting acts of faith and service.
In today’s world, literacy must therefore include digital literacy—using technology responsibly—as well as media literacy—discerning truth from falsehood amid the flood of information.
At the same time, literacy is not only about reading books or using technology. It is about dignity: ensuring that children can learn rather than being forced into labor and upholding the right of girls and women never to be denied education. Such exclusion contradicts both Islamic teachings and Muslim heritage.
On this International Literacy Day, Roya Institute reaffirms that literacy in all its forms—traditional, digital, and media—is a human right and a collective responsibility. Ensuring it for all, especially for children and women, is essential to building just, inclusive, and sustainable societies.