Education is an important element in preparing communities for real participation in development. Providing educational opportunities for women and girls, in particular, is a critical foundation of sustainable community development. Education and literacy are the keys that open the doors to local participation in development efforts.

Creating the conditions for local participation often means paying attention to local languages and cultures as well as directly addressing local development needs. Literacy education provides community members with opportunities to make their voices and interests heard in the planning and implementation of development projects.

Addressing gender gaps in access to basic education and literacy serves a broad range of development needs. Improvements in health and hygiene, lowered fertility rates, and new sources of household income are all directly related to improved levels of women's literacy. Furthermore, though women tend to have much lower literacy rates than men, their strong involvement with their children extends the influence of their literacy. In fact, involving them in literacy education seems to enhance the life of the whole family and community as well as empowering the women to participate more fully in life outside of the home.

The following projects examine the role of gender and development in language acquisition and literacy instruction:

Young Girls' and Women's Literacy Through Basic Skills Education: Seti Project, Nepal

Literacy and Civic Education:
Program for Indigenous and Peasant Women, Peru

Women and Nonformal Education:
Minority Women's Literacy and Basic Skills Project, Laos