Share of adults (15 and older) in the world with basic skills to read and write: In 1800, 10%. In 2016, 86%.
“Half the increase in child survival in the world happens because the mothers can read and write.” Worldwide between 1950 and 2016, the infant mortality rate has dropped from 15% to 3%.
“Poor parents who can’t afford to send all their children to school have often prioritized boys. But since 1970 there has been fantastic progress. Across religions, cultures, and continents, almost all parents can now afford to send all their children to school, and are sending their daughters as well as their sons. Now the girls have almost caught up: Ninety percent of girls of primary school age attend school. For boys, the figure is 92%.”
Worldwide, on average, 30-year-old men have spent 10 years in school, and 30-year-old women have spent 9 years in school.
From the fascinating, must-read book Factfulness by Hans Rosling (2018, Flatiron Books). Pages 62, 129 & 139, 69-70, and 169 respectively.
