The UNLD Expert Group was set up by UNESCO in 2007 and consists of about 20 experts in literacy and related fields, representing government, academic, multilateral and non-governmental institutions and organizations from all regions of the world. It was set up to advice UNESCO as the coordinating agency of the United Nations Literacy Decade. The group played a major role in the mid-Decade review process and in the development of the International Strategic Framework of Action for the second half of the Decade and beyond. The group members furthermore facilitate links with civil society, academic and inter-governmental networks related to literacy.

• Current members of the UNLD Expert Group:

Mr David Archer

Ms Shaheen Attiq-ur-Rahman
Vice Chairperson
Bunyad Literacy and Community Council
Pakistan
Website: www.bunyad.org.pk

Ms Koumba Boly Barry
Education Programme Coordinator
Swiss Cooperation
Burkina Faso
Website: www.sdc.admin.ch

Ms Beverley Bryan
Professor
School of Education
University of the West Indies
Jamaica
Website: www.mona.uwi.edu

Mr R. Govinda
Professor
National University of Educational Planning and Administration
India
Website: www.nuepa.org

Mr Heribert Hinzen
Director
DVV International
Germany
Website: www.dvv-international.de

Ms Joyce Kebathi
Director, Department of Adult Education
Ministry of Gender, Culture and Social Services
Kenya

Ms Maria Khan
Secretary General
ASPBAE (Asian South Pacific Bureau of Adult Education)
India
Website: www.aspbae.org

Mr Bryan Maddox
Professor
School of Development Studies
University of East Anglia, UK
Website: www.uea.ac.uk
 
Ms Phyllis Magrab
Professor
UNESCO Chair on EFA
Georgetown University
USA
Website: www.georgetown.edu

Ms Benita Somerfield
Executive Director
Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy
USA
Website: www.barbarabushfoundation.com

Mr Abdelwahid Yousif
Advisor to the Minister of Education of Bahrain
Sudan
Website: www.education.gov.bh

UNESCO members

Mr Cesar Guadalupe
LAMP Coordinator
UNESCO Institute for Statistics

Ms Maria Luisa Jauregui
Education Officer
UNESCO Regional Bureau for Education Santiago

Mr Abdul Hakeem
APPEAL Coordinator
UNESCO Regional Bureau for Education Bangkok

Ms Ulrike Hanemann
Senior Programme Specialist
UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning (UIL)

Mr Timothy Ireland
Education Officer
UNESCO Office Brasilia

Mr Mark Richmond
Director
Division for UN Priorities in Education
UNESCO Paris

Ms Margarete Sachs-Israel
Head
UNLD Coordination Unit
UNESCO Paris

Mr Sobhi Tawil
Education Officer
UNESCO Office Rabat

Mr Ydo Yao
Education Officer
UNESCO Regional Bureau for Education Dakar

International Head of EducationActionAid, United KingdomWebsite: www.actionaid.org