LITERACY AS A HUMAN RIGHT: CONNECTIONS BETWEEN EDUCATIONAL EQUITY AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Abstract

Literacy, recognized as a fundamental right, remains an outstanding debt in numerous social contexts, particularly within communities facing high levels of vulnerability. This scientific essay addresses, from a legal and educational perspective, the emotional and autonomy-related implications generated by the lack of literacy in individuals. Although national and international regulatory frameworks establish that the State must guarantee equitable access to reading and writing, structural barriers continue to prevent this right from being effectively fulfilled. It is worth highlighting that the absence of literacy not only limits access to other rights but also affects individuals’ emotional development, weakening their self-esteem, ability to express themselves, and even the construction of identity. Through a reflective documentary review, this article argues that literacy cannot be considered merely an educational goal, but must be understood as a decisive factor in the comprehensive well-being of the human being. It concludes that educational justice demands urgent and transformative actions that recognize literacy as an ethical and political commitment, aimed at ensuring both academic and emotional development for all students.