Pakistan: Light through Literacy


Give Pakistani women a light no one can put out.

Overview


Bible Society Pakistan established this literacy program in 2014 and have been providing Bible-based literacy classes for non-literate Pakistani women since then. Bible Society believe that if a woman is taught to read and write, she becomes a ‘beacon of light’ to her community, with the word of God.  

The current literacy rate for women in Pakistan is one of the lowest in the world, largely due to the social structure that suppresses women’s rights. Without the basic skill of reading and writing, social and economic opportunities are limited for women.  

Women’s literacy rates vary throughout the country — from 60+ per cent in the capital city of Islamabad, to less than 20 per cent in some rural areas. Overall, millions are lacking this life skill. Christian women, who mostly live in these rural areas and slums, most likely lack basic literacy skills. 

Being a non-literate typically leads to further marginalisation in households, workplaces, and communities. Non-literate women in Pakistan are often restricted to inferior positions at work and an inferior social standing.  

Statistics: 

  • There are 58,831,784 non-literate adults in Pakistan  
  • The population ratio of Pakistani women is 52% 
  • The women literacy rate in Pakistan is 64% 
  • Literacy among Pakistani Christian women is only at 34% 

“Then your light will shine out from the darkness, and the darkness around you will be as bright as noon.” Isaiah 58.10 (NLT)

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