What exactly is illiteracy? Illiteracy is defined in Webster's dictionary as: 1) uneducated; above all, not knowing how to read or write. 2) showing a lack of education --noun. a person who cannot read or write – illiteracy. Maybe someone knows how to read a little, some can distinguish the sounds of a word, and some simply cannot read at all. Illiteracy is a “loss” for those who cannot read or write. The impact of illiteracy is devastating. This issue causes other issues listed below. · Loss of job opportunities in the market · Without a job, people have to rely on unemployment – ​​social assistance to survive, social assistance, health insurance · Illiterates do not have the skills in reading and writing necessary to strengthen these skills in their children. - The cycle of illiteracy begins here! · Illiteracy promotes high levels of criminal behavior.- Example: Correctional facilities have an average reading level of third grade. Not only does the definition of illiteracy mean “loss,” but to me it is the root of poverty, crime, and loss of productivity in our cities. Now that I have defined illiteracy, I want to raise awareness about this problem, how it relates to women, and propose policy to help solve the problem. Illiteracy exists in America and every country in the world, and the percentages of illiterate women are much higher than those of illiterate men. Many people believe that illiterate Americans are concentrated in large cities where schools are failing. While this may be true in some cases, there are rural areas where illiterate women are neglected. According to the most recent statistics from the World Education Report, a study published last year by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, almost a quarter of the world's population, or 905 million people aged 15 to adults cannot read. Women represent 65 percent of the world's illiterate population. That's more than half! Many women become addicted because of this problem. Illiteracy rates among women in some countries in South Asia and Africa reach 80 percent due to culture. In Nepal, 93 percent of women over 30 live without knowing how to read. The majority of women who have this problem are due to:1. culture2. social aspects of women3. religion4. history5. poverty6. family responsibility7. access to places where classes are taught We can look at the above factors to determine the reason for the high level of illiteracy, as well as other reasons.