TEHRAN -- United Nations representatives for Population Fund, Mohammad Mossledin, lauded in Bushehr Saturday Iran's program in reducing illiteracy rate especially among women and girls.

He told IRNA that currently over 76 percent of women are literate. "The figure should be compared with 30 percent before the Revolution," he added.

He said that before the Revolution only 45 percent of the population were literate, but the figure now is about 86 percent, indicating Iran's success in this field.

The UN official said Iran has advanced in issues such as sex education, and other pedagogical and training-related issues adding that Iran should pass on some of these experiences to other nations in Muslim countries and specially the neighboring Muslim states.''

Mossledin added that the projects are carried out with cooperation with the literacy campaign organization, Shiraz University, Iran Center of Statistics (ISC) and several other organizations.

He said the projects comprise issues including measuring income per capita, prevention of death of infant between one and five years old, population growth, aids education, distributing anti-pregnancy kits and rising women and girls' literacy rates.

Mossledin said in addition to $11 million allocated to carry out these projects in several provinces, the UN has earmarked one million for Afghan refugees residing in Iran.