Child Equity Atlas - BIDS

Child Equity Atlas
3.4.2 One of the most interesting findings of
this Equity Atlas of Children and Women is
the convergence in literacy rates. Dhaka is the
frontrunner with adult literacy at 74 per cent
followed by Jhalokati at 68 per cent. With youth
literacy rate at 83 per cent, Dhaka’s progress can be
seen as relatively limited while other districts, with
lower base adult literacy rates have shown more
improvement in literacy when Map 3.1 and 3.2 are
compared. Dhaka is no longer a frontrunner but
one of many districts which are at the same level
of youth literacy, indicating convergence in literacy
levels, and a sign of reducing inequality.
3.4.3 The fastest progress in literacy occurred in
Meherpur and Manikganj districts, where adult
literacy lingers below the 50 per cent, but in both
districts, youth literacy is higher by 30 percentage
points between 2001 and 2011.
3.4.4 If progress in literacy is compared with
deprivation Maps, the most deprived districts have the
worst progress in literacy, confirming that progress in
literacy has a strong correlation with multiple social
deprivations. A key revelation from the equity Maps
is that from equity perspective, progress does not
happen where it is mostly needed, yet these trends
represent a wake up call for institutions mandated to
address the pockets of socioeconomic inequalities
affecting children and women.
3.5 Progress in Girl’s Education
3.5.1 When youth and adult literacy between male
and female is compared, the gap between adult
male literacy and adult female literacy is about seven
percentage points, much narrower when youth
literacy levels are matched. Female youth literacy
rate is more than their male counterpart by a little
less than three percentage points (Figure 3.4). This
goes to show two important trends – one that the
gender gap is closing towards gender parity, and
secondly, there is a trend reversal with female youth
literacy levels surpassing that of males.
Literacy rate (%)
Figure 3.4: Comparison of youth (15-24
years) versus adult (15 years and above)
literacy rates, Bangladesh 2011
80.0
70.0
60.0
50.0
40.0
30.0
20.0
10.0
0.0
74.0
Male
Youth literacy
56.0
76.6
Female
Adult
literacy
49.2
75.4
Total
5 53.0
3.5.2 Despite overall improvement in girls’ education,
disparity remains among administrative divisions
(Figure 3.5). Khulna division has the highest female
youth literacy (82.3 per cent), closely followed by
Barisal (80.5 per cent), with Sylhet (68.9 per cent)
and Rangpur (72.7 per cent) having lower literacy
levels. Significant gender differences are observed in
the literacy rates at the upazila level in the country
(Figure 3.6 and Map 3.8). In about 57 per cent of
upazilas (275), the female youth literacy rates are
more than three percentage points higher than that
of the male but in 12 per cent of the upazilas (58) the
rates are in favour of males.
Literacy rate (%)
Figure 3.5: Female youth (15-24 years)
literacy rate by administrative divisions,
Bangladesh 2011
90.0
80.0
70.0
60.0
50.0
40.0
30.0
20.0
10.0
0.0
80.5 77.9 76.7
Barisal
Chiagong
Dhaka
82.3
khulna
74.8 72.7
Rajshahi
Rangpur
68.9
Sylhet
76.6
Total
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