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 49.0% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, % female in UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa, 1985–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
In 2024, youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, % female in UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa stood at 49.0%. That is the lowest value across all 40 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 2.0% on the previous year and down 9.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, % female in UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa peaked at 60.0% in 1985 and was at its lowest, 49.0%, in 2024.
That places UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa 129th out of 204 groups with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling 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 | 60.0% | — |
| 1986 | 60.0% | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 60.0% | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 59.0% | -1.7% |
| 1989 | 59.0% | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 59.0% | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 58.0% | -1.7% |
| 1992 | 58.0% | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 58.0% | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 57.0% | -1.7% |
| 1995 | 57.0% | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 56.0% | -1.8% |
| 1997 | 56.0% | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 55.0% | -1.8% |
| 1999 | 56.0% | +1.8% |
| 2000 | 55.0% | -1.8% |
| 2001 | 55.0% | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 59.0% | +7.3% |
| 2003 | 59.0% | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 59.0% | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 58.0% | -1.7% |
| 2006 | 57.0% | -1.7% |
| 2007 | 56.0% | -1.8% |
| 2008 | 57.0% | +1.8% |
| 2009 | 56.0% | -1.8% |
| 2010 | 56.0% | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 55.0% | -1.8% |
| 2012 | 55.0% | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 55.0% | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 54.0% | -1.8% |
| 2015 | 54.0% | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 53.0% | -1.9% |
| 2017 | 52.0% | -1.9% |
| 2018 | 52.0% | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 51.0% | -1.9% |
| 2020 | 51.0% | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 51.0% | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 50.0% | -2.0% |
| 2023 | 50.0% | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 49.0% | -2.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 59.6% | 59.0% | 60.0% | 5 |
| 1990s | 57.0% | 55.0% | 59.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 57.1% | 55.0% | 59.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 53.7% | 51.0% | 56.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 50.2% | 49.0% | 51.0% | 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 49.0% 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 60.0% in 1985.
- What is the lowest youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, % female recorded in UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 49.0% in 2024.
- How does UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa rank for youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, % female?
- UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa ranks 129th 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 9.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- 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. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release