Mali's literacy rate in 2018 was 35.47 percent, up 2.4 percent from 2015. Mali's literacy rate in 2015 was 33.07 percent, up 2.45 percent from 2011. The gender gap in literacy rates has been narrowing since 2005, when it was 19 percentage points. In 2008, it was 12 percentage points. In 2015, it was 3 percentage points. Mali's reading ability score in PISA showed significant improvement between 2000 and 2015, but it has declined since then. In fact, Mali's ranking has dropped from 63rd in 2000 to 141st in 2015. Around 21 percent of Malians cannot read. This is higher than the global average of 15 percent. There are several factors that may be preventing individuals with disabilities in Mali from getting access to education. Disability discrimination is illegal in Mali under article 14 of its constitution, which states that everyone has the right to equal treatment and equal opportunities regardless of disability. However, there have been reports of this violation being committed against people with physical and mental disabilities. People with disabilities are often excluded from school enrollment decisions because of cultural beliefs about the inferiority of those with disabilities. Families also sometimes reject proposals to enroll their children in school because of financial constraints or lack of awareness about the benefits of educating people with disabilities.