The social and economic impact of illiteracy: analytical model and pilot study

This paper will begin with an overview of the concept of illiteracy, as well as its main individual, intergenerational, social, and economic consequences, in order to establish a comprehensive analytical framework. A methodology will then be proposed to estimate the employment and income gaps which illiteracy generates, using three case studies as examples: Ecuador, The Dominican Republic, and the Brazilian state of São Paulo. The final section of the document offers a number of conclusions, as well as a discussion of future challenges.