Human Capital Reviews

A Human Capital Index (HCI) simulation projects that a Djiboutian born in 2022 will achieve only 41% of their full potential by age 18, leaving 59% untapped. Key factors are poor child survival and learning outcomes. Increased investment in early childhood and adolescent years is crucial for improving human capital and productivity.

The Investing in Human Capital note, requested by Eswatini's government, guides a coordinated approach to improving human capital outcomes. It aims to enhance existing programs and introduce new ones only to address significant service gaps. This note has shaped the Health Systems Strengthening project and two upcoming World Bank-supported projects on early education and vocational training.

Human capital, including knowledge, skills, health, and nutrition, is crucial for long-term economic growth, driving two-thirds of global wealth. COVID-19 sharply declined human capital, particularly affecting children and youth. The Gambia, challenged by high population growth and limited infrastructure, has seen poverty rise and inflation impact human capital investment. Vulnerable to climate shocks, the poorest are most affected. This review assesses The Gambia's human capital outcomes, identifies key constraints, and recommends a cross-sectoral approach for greater prosperity, highlighting the need for coordinated, multisectoral strategies.

Lesotho faces severe weather shocks, such as droughts and floods, that harm food security. Reliant on rainfed agriculture and livestock, rural populations suffer substantial losses, with 63.6% of household expenditure on food in 2017. The COVID-19 pandemic worsened the situation, with 40% of the population in a food security crisis by 2021. This note aims to enhance existing programs and address significant gaps to improve human capital, guiding the Government of Lesotho and development partners.

Liberia has one of the lowest Human Capital Index (HCI) scores at 0.32, meaning a child born today will be only 32% as productive as possible with full education and health. This affects economic growth, with GDP per capita potentially 3.1 times higher if HCI benchmarks were met. Key challenges include high child mortality, stunting, poor education outcomes, and health risks into adulthood. The World Bank and Liberia’s government identified weak governance and lack of coordination as major obstacles. The COVID-19 pandemic has worsened these issues. The report suggests addressing these through a problem-driven iterative approach (PDIA).

Human capital, encompassing knowledge, skills, and health, enables people to realize their potential as productive society members. A country's productivity depends on the quality and availability of maternal and child health services. Countries investing in these areas and high-quality nutrition are more productive. Recognizing this, Malawi's government is implementing the Second Health Sector Strategic Plan (2017-2022) and a National Multi-Sector Nutrition Policy to improve maternal and child health. This policy brief uses Malawi’s 2018-2019 Harmonised Health Facility Assessment to identify key health sector gaps impeding children's growth and productivity.

This Human Capital Review (HCR) report analyzes human capital indicators from in utero to productive aging in Sierra Leone. It provides recommendations for specific groups by disaggregating data. Using a consultative Problem-Driven Iterative Adaptation (PDIA) approach, the report involved various stakeholders to identify and resolve issues. It aims to guide human capital reforms addressing the identified challenges.

This policy note outlines South Africa's economic growth and development agenda, presenting a harmonized approach for investing in human capital. Using a life cycle approach, it emphasizes holistic, cross-sectoral investment in early childhood, school age, and youth to adulthood. The analysis identifies priority challenges and proposes an action framework. It aims to foster dialogue among government entities, including Health, Basic Education, Higher Education, Social Development, National Treasury, Planning, and the Presidency, and to inform civil society, development partners, and the private sector about human capital development challenges and coordination needs. The note also encourages further research to address information gaps.