SDG #4 is to “Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.”
Within SDG #4 are 10 targets, of which we here focus on Target 4.6:
By 2030, ensure that all youth and a substantial proportion of adults, both men and women, achieve literacy and numeracy
Target 4.6 has one indicator:
Indicator 4.6.1: Proportion of population in a given age group achieving at least a fixed level of proficiency in functional (a) literacy and (b) numeracy skills, by sex
This indicator introduces us to the concept of fixed level of proficiency. This is a standard of knowledge in a field of learning - in this instance, literacy and numeracy.
To survey the skills of adults, the OECD runs the PIAAC. This stands for Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies. This program can assess adults in literacy and numeracy.
What are the worldwide literacy rates of people between 15-24 years old? As of 2020, disaggregated by sex as defined by the indicator, it's 93% for men and 90% for women, with only a fractional increase since 2015.
The worldwide literacy rate for males over 15 was 90% in 2020, and 83% for females. But as of 2017, UNESCO has insufficient data across the countries to form a global numeracy rate disaggregated by sex.
