女性、識字と開発 : ネパールの女性たちの活動の事例

抄録

  This is a case study of an adult literacy program in Nepal from the perspective of multiple literacy practices.

  Most adult literacy programs in developing countries constitute a part of non-formal education, and they are carried out by international aid agencies and NGO's. After “Education for All” especially, the priority tasks have been to correct the gap in educational achievement between boys &girls and to provide improved access to education for girls and women, which is called “literacy for women's empowerment.”

  Literacy studies that consider multiple literacy practices in each country or area are increasing. They discuss literacy programs for learners from outside of their real life or programs treating literacy as a neutral skill. These programs are based on a functional literacy model, and not designed to promote women's independence. Women in the Third World are regarded as only powerless, and the paradigm of global development is supported by the theory of modernization. The assumed universality of modernization needs to be reexamined.

  This paper first makes an overview of literacy programs in Nepal, and secondly examines existing studies of Nepalese literacy programs. Thirdly, looking from the perspective of multiple literacy practices (‘New Literacy Studies’ as it is called), it then analyses the author's field research data.

  Finally, it suggests the conclusion of the study.