Books in every language, for every child on World Book Day
Books in local languages help children build confidence, comprehension, and a lifelong love of learning.
This World Book Day, we celebrate the power of books to fire children’s imagination and support literacy.
Every child should have access to sufficient books in their own language and here there is work to be done.
IPNEd urges parliamentarians to prioritise the publication and distribution of books in national and native languages as part of foundational literacy policy, funding, and oversight.
World Book Day, recognised annually on 23rd April for the past 30 years, is an opportunity for parliamentarians to reaffirm their commitment to literacy by supporting access to books for every child, in every language.
A day when children across high-income countries dress up as their favourite storybook characters (whether it’s Matilda, Harry Potter, or Elphaba from Wicked), it’s worth remembering that millions of children around the world face a very different reality: a highly limited selection of books to read at all.
70 per cent of 10 year olds in low- and middle-income countries are unable to read and comprehend a simple text. In Sub-Saharan Africa, this figure is as high as 90 per cent.
Books are essential to turning around such low levels of literacy.
“For books to be able to unleash their full potential, it is essential that they reflect the linguistic diversity of our world. However, this is far from being the case today; the majority of works are published in just a handful of languages,” shares Audrey Azoulay, UNESCO Director-General, as part of World Book Day 2025.
In Ethiopia, for example, where more than 90 languages are spoken, there are few, small publishers, very few titles published, few bookstores, no public libraries and so almost no books in local languages.
Or take Malawi. As of 2018, there were approximately 2.2 million native speakers of Tumbuka and another 2.2 million speakers of Yao. Yet fewer than 20 reading book titles were available in either language, leaving nearly 25 per cent of the population without the materials necessary to acquire and sustain basic literacy.
Without basic literacy skills, a generation of children risk being left behind. Literacy is the foundation upon which higher level learning can take place, and enables individuals to participate in society, continue in education and has a positive effect on health and economic opportunities.
Parliamentarians can use their position to advocate and fund the publication of more and better books in local languages, to ensure every child can develop literacy skills to reach their potential.
Why local language books matter
Books remain one of the most powerful and cost-effective tools we have to ensure universal literacy. But not just any books; children need books they can read, in languages they speak, and that reflect their lives.
Where books are available in mother-tongue languages, and teachers and librarians are trained in teaching literacy, the results can be dramatic.
Grade 2 children in Room to Read partner schools including more than 50 million children in over 20 countries, from Canada to the Philippines, identify on average more than twice as many correct words per minute and correctly answer 70 percent more comprehension questions compared to their peers in comparison schools.
This shows the importance of having books in local languages to ensure children not only learn to read, but can process and understand what they are reading too.
Another striking example of the impact of mother-tongue books comes from a recent study in Bangladesh, where Save the Children provided high-quality storybooks in local languages to target communities where literacy levels were near-zero.
After receiving books in their home language, literacy levels increased from 1% to 24%. This demonstrates the power of having books in a language children already know and speak at home.
A digital boost for local language books
Yet publishing books in local languages also faces economic and logistical challenges. Commercial publishers often have little financial incentive to print low-volume titles in local languages.
What’s more is distribution systems are frequently underdeveloped, so books can’t easily reach rural schools and communities. As a result, even when books are produced, they often remain out of reach to those that need them most.
Digital solutions can help.
One encouraging recent example comes from UNESCO’s open-source digital books initiative. In 2023, UNESCO developed more than 300 free e-books in 27 non-dominant languages for ethnolinguistic minority children in Cambodia, Papua New Guinea, and Timor-Leste.
These digital books, hosted on the Bloom Library platform, are designed for children to read in the languages they speak at home, helping them build literacy skills on solid, familiar foundations.
By removing the barriers of print production and distribution, this initiative demonstrates how technology can play a powerful role in expanding access to books in native languages, especially important for communities where physical book supply is minimal or nonexistent.
What parliamentarians can do
Parliamentarians are uniquely positioned to address literacy levels by championing books in national and international education agendas.
We urge MPs to:
Advocate for high-quality books that are age-appropriate and culturally relevant to be published and distributed in national languages
Ensure that local language books are a part of the education policy and curriculum, and accessible for those hardest to reach
Support local language book and reading initiatives, such as mobile libraries, to boost literacy and community access to reading materials
Ensure funding for the development, publication and distribution of books in local languages is adequate and efficient
Build partnerships with different stakeholders, including civil society actors, schools and businesses to expand access to books and educational tools
Ensuring every child can learn to read in a language they understand is one of the most powerful ways parliamentarians can invest in long-term development.
The solutions for improving universal literacy are within reach. To turn the page starts with books.
