The world would be a better place if we all showed more care, concern and compassion.

When someone looks different or speaks a language we don't understand It's easy to overlook their humanity. I am particularly interested in China and its many fascinating peoples. Because I am an Albino I have a natural affinity with others with Albinism. In China there are known to be in excess of 100,000 people with Albinism and there is a good organisation on the web at www.albinism.org.cn

Literacy for all: voice for all, learning for all.

The United Nations Literacy Decade (2003-2012) aims to extend the use of literacy to those who do not currently have access to it. Over 861 million adults are in that position, and over 113 million children are not in school and therefore not gaining access to literacy either. Two thirds of these 861 million adults are women, with illiteracy thus adding to the deprivation and subordination to which women are already subject. In an interconnected world where literacy is a key to communication such exclusion is unacceptable. I support the United Nations Literacy Decade. So far we have largely failed to reach the poorest and most marginalized groups of people. Many people who are “Blind” “Vision Impaired” or “Disabled” are right at the bottom of the human pile and need to have appropriate accessible resources made available to them.

We need to enable and encourage people to express their ideas and views, engage in effective learning, participate in the written communication which characterises democratic societies, and exchange knowledge with others.

One in five people over the age of 15 cannot communicate through literacy or take any part in the surrounding literate environment.

Literacy is a human right. Basic education, within which literacy is the key learning tool, was recognised as a human right over 50 years ago, in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. It is a scandal that this right continues to be violated for such a large proportion of humanity.

The Literacy Decade is an initiative of the United Nations General Assembly, adopted unanimously in a resolution of December 2001.

In the comfort of our middle class affluent society we may assume everyone can read, write and communicate with confidence. I feel literacy promotion is an effective way to bring about poverty reduction and give people a purpose for living.

I believe we need to engage in energized Capacity-building initiatives which tell people who are struggling that there is hope.