Improving literacy in women and girls globally.

摘要

In May 2006, I had the opportunity to deliver boxes of children's books from our family and a nonprofit organization, "Shared Books: Kid to Kid," to an orphanage in the rural community of Gatchina in the Russian Federation. Beautiful, curly haired, blonde little 4-year-old Natalia sat on the floor and hugged the book close to her heart. The joy in the faces of the children who received these books was heartwarming; thus this column focuses on literacy in women and children globally. Many of the world's women and children have little access to written works and are either marginally literate or illiterate. Literacy is defined as "using printed and written information to function in society, to achieve one's goals, and to develop one's knowledge and potential" (National Center for Education Statistics, 2006).