Literacy initiatives in Mali occur in three stages: learning to read and write, post literacy, and integrating literacy into life activities.[10] According to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, or UNESCO, 35.47% of Malians that are 15 years or older are able to read and write as of 2018.[9] Specifically, the 2018 literacy rates for Malians ages 15-24 and 65 years and older were 50.13% and 19.08%, respectively.[9] For each of these three groups, the percentage of the male population that was literate was higher than the percentage of the female population that was literate.[9] Although the government implemented literacy programs immediately after Mali gained independence, these initiatives became much more prominent during the democratic movements of the 1990s.[5] Literacy programs currently have a large presence in rural communities.[10]