This book provides a historical overview of illiteracy as a social phenomenon in Belgium, examines public policies, and profiles literacy in the French and Flemish communities. It is organized in six chapters. The first chapter presents an overview of literacy in Belgium, with information on the educational system and cultural diversity. Chapter 2 reviews the problem of illiteracy and its elimination in Belgium in the context of general and adult education. Chapter 3 analyzes illiteracy in relation to the problems of failure at school, marginalization, and socio-educational rejection. Chapter 4 examines a number of government measures taken in different areas relating to illiteracy. Finally, chapters 5 and 6 describe the various literacy movements in the French and Flemish communities. (KC)