Read something. It's a political act.

Today is the fiftieth anniversary of the proclamation of UNESCO's International Literacy Day

Many of us, casually reading the words that make up the many posts on twitter and facebook that we consumer every day, probably take our literacy for granted. And I have to say I think that's good. We shouldn't be grateful to be literate - literacy is listed as a right in many conventions on human rights, rightly so. We shouldn't be grateful to be literate, we should be furious that some people have had this right denied them.

It is estimated that 775 million adults are illiterate and that two thirds of those are women. We work here with women who were denied education - the limits illiteracy imposes are enormous and it's one of the reasons we strive to provide a job without literacy. It takes time but we can teach bits through work and we also teach things like what the the word 'hospital' and 'police station' look like. Imagine being in this bit of world and not being able to read the signs, perhaps not wanting to ask a stranger. What do you do if you need help?

Literacy is gateway not just to fiction, imagination and other worlds but to information, safety, independence. This really interesting article is full of stories about how literacy has benefited women and the communities around them and we all know about Malala and her fight for her education. Under two months ago, on July 15th, she opened a school near the Syrian border, for Syrian refugees. Those girls lives are being changed. One child, one teacher, one book, one pen. Education and literacy are the foundations of our freedoms.

Some people don't want women to read; some people want to tell others what they can and can't read. I can't imagine my life without the written word - can you?

Read a bit of a book today - even if you've not got much time. Read something, anything - revel in it. And know that what you are doing is political. Remember those millions who can't and determine to advocate for them when you can.

Happy International Literacy Day.