Media and Information Literacy (MIL)  

Technology alone cannot bridge the digital divide between and within countries. Knowledge societies ultimately depend on people’s access to information and their ability to locate, evaluate and use information effectively.

MIL represents essential competencies and skills to equip citizens in the 21st century with the abilities to engage with media and information systems effectively and develop critical thinking and life-long learning skills to socialize and become active citizens.

What is the role of the UIS?

The UIS and the UNESCO’s Communication and Information Sector, in collaboration with an international advisory panel of experts, are developing the first framework to measure media information literacy in countries at different stages of development.

How do we define media and information literacy?

Media literacy and information literacy have always been linked, but the greater accessibility of content via the Internet and mobile platforms has meant that those literacies are increasingly intertwined. UNESCO considers information literacy and media literacy together as Media Information Literacy (MIL). MIL endows individuals with knowledge about the functions of the media and information systems, the conditions under which these functions can be performed, and the ways citizens can both evaluate the quality of content and contribute to it.

UIS Strategy

It is important to stress that the UIS is not developing a new survey in this field. At this point, experts agree that another data collection would represent a considerable burden for countries. Instead, the Institute and the UNESCO’s Communication and Information Sector will develop and pilot-test cost-effective methodologies that countries can adapt to meet their own measurement