Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, female in UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa
UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa: Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, female was 11.35 million in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
11.35 million
Change on year
down 0.2%
Rank
75th
of 204 groups
All-time high
13.49 million
in 2006
All-time low
9.07 million
in 1985
Years of data
40
1985–2024
Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, female in UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa, 1985–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa recorded 11.35 million for youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, female in 2024.
That represents a change of down 0.2% on the previous year and down 2.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, female in UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa peaked at 13.49 million in 2006 and was at its lowest, 9.07 million, in 1985.
UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa ranks 75th of 204 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 40 years of available data.
Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, female in UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 9.07 million | — |
| 1986 | 9.17 million | +1.2% |
| 1987 | 9.23 million | +0.6% |
| 1988 | 9.34 million | +1.3% |
| 1989 | 9.42 million | +0.8% |
| 1990 | 9.44 million | +0.2% |
| 1991 | 9.62 million | +1.9% |
| 1992 | 9.92 million | +3.1% |
| 1993 | 10.01 million | +0.9% |
| 1994 | 10.10 million | +0.9% |
| 1995 | 10.25 million | +1.6% |
| 1996 | 10.36 million | +1.0% |
| 1997 | 10.39 million | +0.3% |
| 1998 | 10.95 million | +5.4% |
| 1999 | 10.94 million | -0.0% |
| 2000 | 11.06 million | +1.1% |
| 2001 | 11.17 million | +1.0% |
| 2002 | 11.49 million | +2.8% |
| 2003 | 11.62 million | +1.2% |
| 2004 | 11.82 million | +1.7% |
| 2005 | 12.45 million | +5.4% |
| 2006 | 13.49 million | +8.3% |
| 2007 | 13.06 million | -3.2% |
| 2008 | 13.23 million | +1.3% |
| 2009 | 13.15 million | -0.6% |
| 2010 | 12.71 million | -3.4% |
| 2011 | 12.52 million | -1.5% |
| 2012 | 11.72 million | -6.4% |
| 2013 | 11.46 million | -2.2% |
| 2014 | 11.60 million | +1.2% |
| 2015 | 11.50 million | -0.9% |
| 2016 | 11.26 million | -2.1% |
| 2017 | 11.20 million | -0.6% |
| 2018 | 10.99 million | -1.9% |
| 2019 | 10.91 million | -0.7% |
| 2020 | 11.11 million | +1.8% |
| 2021 | 11.24 million | +1.2% |
| 2022 | 11.31 million | +0.7% |
| 2023 | 11.38 million | +0.6% |
| 2024 | 11.35 million | -0.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 9.25 million | 9.07 million | 9.42 million | 5 |
| 1990s | 10.20 million | 9.44 million | 10.95 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 12.25 million | 11.06 million | 13.49 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 11.59 million | 10.91 million | 12.71 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 11.28 million | 11.11 million | 11.38 million | 5 |
More education data for UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 49.26 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate 1.01 % change on previous year (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 2.50 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), annual growth 2.77 % change on previous year (2022)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 36.30 million (2022)
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), annual growth rate 1.22 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 50.69 million (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), annual growth rate 1.32 % change on previous year (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 8.67 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 9.20 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, female in UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa?
- Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, female in UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa was 11.35 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, female recorded in UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 13.49 million in 2006.
- What is the lowest youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, female recorded in UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 9.07 million in 1985.
- How does UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa rank for youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, female?
- UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa ranks 75th out of 204 groups with data for 2024.
- Is youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, female rising or falling in UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 2.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, female (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release