Nepalese women attend literacy class – in pictures

A Nepalese woman asks a question during a literacy class for women in Basundhara, Kathmandu, Nepal. Around 105 women aged between 16 and 60 have been attending the class, which has been provided free of charge for the past year Photograph: Niranjan Shrestha/AP

The class aims to boost literacy among women in Nepal, where the overall adult literacy rate between 2005 and 2010 was 59%, according to the UN children's fund, Unicef. The literacy rate for women lags behind that of men Photograph: Niranjan Shrestha/AP

Women sit on the floor as they take notes from the teacher at their literacy class in Basundhara. Although there is a wide age range in the class, there are fewer younger women (15 to 24) as the literacy rate among this group is higher Photograph: Niranjan Shrestha/AP

Sandals are left outside a classroom in Basundhara. Most of the women are housewives Photograph: Niranjan Shrestha/AP

According to Unicef, 62% of girls in Nepal completed primary school education between 2005 and 2010, but only 38% of girls went on to attend secondary school Photograph: Niranjan Shrestha/AP

In September, the Nepalese government announced its 4bn rupee Literate Nepal Mission, with the aim of achieving full literacy by 2015. The government launched a previous literacy campaign in 2009 Photograph: Niranjan Shrestha/AP

A woman raises her hand to ask a question during the literacy class Photograph: Niranjan Shrestha/AP

A boy watches women at a literacy class through the window Photograph: Niranjan Shrestha/AP

Nepalese women walk home after their class. The Nepalese government wants to achieve full literacy by 2015, the deadline for the UN millennium development goal of achieving universal primary education Photograph: Niranjan Shrestha/AP