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Literacy elevates human dignity and is the hallmark of civilization. It develops personal expression, critical thinking, problem solving skills and increases civic participation and economic productivity. There are nearly 1 billion adults who are illiterate.
The downward cycle of poverty and the victimization of the world’s most vulnerable women and children create desperate conditions with little or no hope to improve the lives of entire communities.
Human Trafficking
In northern Thailand among the hill tribes, human traffickers exploit illiterate women and children. This lucrative business takes advantage of poor people in desperate circumstances. Parents are persuaded to sell their children and others are lured away with false promises of employment. In one of the world’s most immoral human enterprises, women and children are sold into virtual slavery as domestics, bonded labourers, child soldiers and sex trade workers.
Gender Discrimination and Domestic Cruelty
Hilltribe culture in Thailand is less discriminatory towards women, than in some other countries, but domestic violence is high among the unemployed and uneducated.
HIV/AIDS
Virulent infection rates occur when poverty drives migrant workers away from their families, only to infect them when they return. Literacy is required to understand the fundamentals of health messaging.