Women's literacy rates have improved in nearly all countries for which data are available. However, discrimination in access to education starts in early childhood and tends to continue throughout women's lives. Reproductive, productive, and community roles are considered family responsibilities to be assumed by women. Because these activities usually take most of their daily time, women can seldom attend educational activities. Other obstacles are husbands' opposition, religious beliefs, poverty, and the patriarchal ideology. Government programs make no distinction between men and women and contain a gender approach--one that presents women performing traditional roles. Educational activities are organized in places and with timetables unsuitable for women's and girls' regular attendance. Women's nongovernmental organizations organize literacy activities that use a feminist approach and focus on women's conditions and situations, practical needs, and strategic interest. Women's attendance would definitely increase if facilities are created to ease their workload while they attend the courses. Introducing a gender approach means to include such topics as the following: gender relations; social individuals' plurality; autonomy; family, community, and society relationships; and participation in the development process. Implementation of educational activities should include organizing subgroups of the main group. Research is needed on what gender issues to introduce, how, and when. (Contains 13 references.) (YLB)