HUMAN CAPITAL UMBRELLA PROGRAM INVESTING IN PEOPLE TO MEET GLOBAL CHALLENGES ANNUAL REPORT 2023 Copyright © 2023 International Bank for Reconstruction and Development / THE WORLD BANK Washington DC 20433 Telephone: +1-202-473-1000 Internet: www.worldbank.org This work is a product of the staff of The World Bank with external contributions. The findings, interpretations, and conclusions expressed in this work do not necessarily reflect the views of The World Bank, its Board of Executive Directors, or the governments they represent. The World Bank does not guarantee the accuracy of the data included in this work. The boundaries, colors, denominations, and other information shown on any map in this work do not imply any judgment on the part of The World Bank concerning the legal status of any territory or the endorsement or acceptance of such boundaries. All dollar amounts are US dollars unless otherwise indicated. Rights and Permissions: The material in this work is subject to copyright. Because The World Bank encourages dissemination of its knowledge, this work may be reproduced, in whole or in part, for non-commercial purposes. Any queries on rights and licenses, including subsidiary rights, should be addressed to World Bank Publications, The World Bank Group, 1818 H Street NW, Washington, DC 20433, USA; fax: 202-522-2625; e-mail: pubrights@worldbank.org. Table of Contents Acknowledgments ............................................... 04 Acronyms and Abbreviations .............................. 05 Human Capital Umbrella Program at a Glance 06 Executive Summary ............................................. 08 1. Program Overview ............................................ 12 1.1. The Human Capital Umbrella Program Fuels Investments in People .......................... 12 1.2. The Umbrella Program Advances Solutions to Address Global Challenges ....................... 14 1.3. The Umbrella Program Shapes World Bank Operations to Deliver Impacts at Scale ........ 20 2. Highlights of Activities and Results ............... 21 2.1. The Umbrella Program Optimizes Outcomes through Data and Measurement ................... 22 2.2. The Umbrella Program Boosts the Governments’ Capacity through Analytics and Investments ............................................... 25 2.3. The Umbrella Program Drives the Human Capital Agenda through Convening and Thought Leadership ......................................... 31 3. Financial Highlights and Disbursements ....... 38 Annex 1: List of Trust Fund-Financed Activities 39 Annex 2: Results Framework ............................... 41 Annex 3: Operations Informed by Trust Fund- Financed Activities ............................................... 42 References ............................................................ 45 Acknowledgments The 2023 Annual Report of the Human Capital Umbrella Multi-Donor Trust Fund (under the aegis of the Human Capital Umbrella Program) was prepared by a team led by Sonia Madhvani and Rythia Afkar, Co-Program Managers. Gabriel Demombynes, Manager for the Human Capital Project, provided leadership. Vanessa Co authored the report, while Israel Melendez handled graphic design and typesetting. The team extends its gratitude to the Human Capital Umbrella Program Trust Fund development partners for their shared vision and continued commitment to our work: The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Canada’s Department of Foreign Affairs. Finally, the team is grateful for support from Mamta Murthi (Vice President for Human Development) and Dena Ringold (Director of Strategy and Operations, Human Development) and to the teams implementing and reporting on grant-financed activities. 04 INVESTING IN PEOPLE TO MEET GLOBAL CHALLENGES Acronyms and Abbreviations BGMEA Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association BKMEA Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association ECCAS Economic Community of Central African States ECD Early Childhood Development ECOWAS Economic Community of West African States GBV Gender-Based Violence GDP Gross Domestic Product GFF Global Financing Facility GIRL Gender Innovation and Regional Learning HCI Human Capital Index IDA International Development Association NEET Not in Education, Employment, or Training PASU Presidential Policy and Strategy Unit PEIR Public Expenditure and Institutional Review PforR Program-for-Results RCT Randomized Controlled Trial SPG Specific Purpose Grant SRH Sexual and Reproductive Health SWEDD Sahel Women Empowerment and Demographic Dividend UNICEF United Nations Children's Fund UNISE Unified Nutrition Information Systems WBG World Bank Group HUMAN CAPITAL UMBRELLA PROGRAM ANNUAL REPORT 2023 05 Human Capital Umbrella Program at a Glance This annual report details the activities of the Human Capital Umbrella Program and its anchor trust fund with operational and financial reporting as of December 2023. PROGRAM NAME EFFECTIVENESS DATE DONORS 28-Nov 2019 The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Human Capital The Government CLOSING DATE Umbrella of Canada ANCHOR TRUST FUND Advancing Human 31-Dec 2024 Capital Outcomes Globally Multi-Donor Trust Fund (TF073417) PROGRAM MANAGER COUNTRIES SUPPORTED Sonia Madhvani Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria, and Rythia Afkar Pakistan and the Sahel HUMAN CAPITAL PROJECT (Benin, Burkina Faso, PRACTICE MANAGER Cameroon, Chad, Côte FUNDING AMOUNT Gabriel Demombynes d’Ivoire, Guinea, Mali, $22.9 million Mauritania, Republic of Congo, Niger, and Togo) HUMAN CAPITAL PROJECT Note: Dollar amounts are US dollars unless otherwise indicated. 06 INVESTING IN PEOPLE TO MEET GLOBAL CHALLENGES Human Capital Umbrella Program at a Glance $22.9m $18.5m $14.2m total commitments contributions received allocated to country-specific activities* Pakistan - $1.25m The Sahel - $2.8m Bangladesh - $1.82m Mauritania Bangladesh Mali Niger Chad Guinea Cameroon Burkina Faso - $0.28m Ethiopia - $1.0m Cote d’Ivoire Benin Togo Kenya - $1.0m Nigeria - $0.4m Republic of the Congo Funded by Gates Foundation Funded by Government of Canada Funded by both Gates Foundation and Government of Canada 07 INVESTING IN PEOPLE TO MEET GLOBAL CHALLENGES *Note: Allocations correspond to funds received to date, not total allocations taking into considerations entire amount of donor commitments. Dollar amounts are U.S. dollars unless otherwise indicated. Executive Summary I n a world grappling with multifaceted challenges, investing in people is not only crucial for overcoming adversity but also instrumental for lasting inclusive growth. Human capital—the knowledge, skills, and good health that people accumulate over their lifetimes—empowers people and communities to achieve their full potential. Yet, global challenges and rapid shifts in demographics, climate, and fragility pose threats that can widen gaps in human capital. The Human Capital Umbrella Program (the Umbrella Program), launched in 2019 with support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Government of Canada, serves as a catalyst for accelerating investments in people. It continued to advance its work through a whole-of-government approach to support evidence-based initiatives across sectors, fostering lasting social and economic transformation. Aligned with the objectives of the Human Capital Project a global program that comprises 92 member countries committed to building and protecting human capital—it operates through three pillars: knowledge, evidence, and measurement; country engagement; and global engagement. The Umbrella Program’s alignment with the Human Capital Project contributes to mutual accountability and collaboration on the human capital agenda within the World Bank Group. The Umbrella Program shapes World Bank operations to deliver impacts at scale. Through analytical work and strategic initiatives, the program influences project design and execution to effectively advance human capital outcomes. Since its inception, activities funded by the Umbrella Program have informed 26 World Bank-financed operations, totaling more than $7 billion in lending and directly benefitting over 57 million beneficiaries. 08 INVESTING IN PEOPLE TO MEET GLOBAL CHALLENGES The Umbrella Program Plays that strengthen skills, livelihoods, and access to a Pivotal Role in Addressing finance, the program empowers marginalized populations to thrive in a changing economic Global Challenges landscape. In Bangladesh, the program played Amid the pressing need to accelerate action, a crucial role in profiling beneficiaries, which the Umbrella Program has proactively included widows and persons with disabilities, supported countries in addressing the critical who identified their needs and tailored challenges of learning loss, helped address interventions with an emphasis on promoting gender gaps in human capital, fostered income financial inclusion. opportunities for marginalized group, and Moreover, the program addresses the looming bolstered resilience against the impacts of threats of climate change, recognizing the climate change. interplay between human capital and climate G i v e n t h e p a n d e m i c’s e n d u r i n g a n d resilience. For instance, the Umbrella Program unprecedented impact on learning levels, the took proactive steps in assessing the impact Umbrella Program took proactive measures of devastating floods on human capital in to help countries recover from learning loss. Pakistan . The repercussions of the natural In countries such as Ethiopia and Pakistan, disaster that occurred in 2022 extended the program supports tailored policies and significantly to essential services, especially interventions to mitigate learning poverty rates on education, damaging and destroying more and ensure that children from all backgrounds than 24,000 schools across the country. The have access to quality education. program supported a study that called for reducing constraints such as costs, as well as a Through the Gender Innovation and Regional comprehensive package of support, including Learning (GIRL) initiative, the program is socioemotional interventions to help children actively closing gender disparities in human cope with trauma and keep children in school. capital, particularly in the Sahel, where levels of gender inequality are among the highest Highlights of Results in the world. GIRL is piloting interventions in the Republic of Congo that provide family The Umbrella Program built on the momentum of planning services and access to contraceptives previous years to further accelerate investments in the Brazzaville and Pointe Noire provinces. in people. It provides critical support to In Mali, it supports interventions that empower governments through data-driven insights, health care workers to deliver sexual and technical assistance, and advocacy efforts reproductive health (SRH) services in safe aimed at optimizing human capital outcomes. spaces such as health centers where they By leveraging a robust Results Framework provide households and girls with crucial that emphasizes measurement, analytics, life skills in local languages. By coupling and convening, the program addresses key interventions with rigorous evaluations, challenges and fosters collaboration across GIRL establishes a global evidence base, sectors to drive impactful change. fosters peer learning, and drives targeted interventions for girls and their communities. At its core, the Umbrella Program is committed to leveraging data and evidence The Umbrella Program contributes to efforts to inform policies and shape interventions that strengthen human capital and labor that optimize human capital outcomes. By outcomes for vulnerable groups including providing governments with access to tools women and youth. By supporting initiatives and methodologies, the program empowers HUMAN CAPITAL UMBRELLA PROGRAM ANNUAL REPORT 2023 09 decision-makers to track progress, identify also essential in developing a simulation tool areas for improvement, and target interventions that would identify the cost of bringing children effectively. Utilizing the Human Capital back in school and gauge parental norms and Index (HCI), the Umbrella Program complements attitudes toward girls’ education. In Ethiopia, policy measures and interventions by offering the Umbrella Program is supporting the use a quantitative assessment to evaluate gaps of innovative methodologies through satellite in human capital and to determine prompt imagery and cellphones to gauge the impact and strategic actions. In Bangladesh , for of the recent conflict on health centers and instance, disaggregating the HCI using various school facilities. data sources highlighted low human capital outcomes across all population groups. The The Umbrella Program places a strong finding underscores the need for targeted emphasis on building government capacity measures to ensure equitable progress and to implement multi-sectoral interventions that break intergenerational poverty. address complex challenges and improve service delivery. Leveraging analytics and The Umbrella Program also played a pivotal technical assistance, it offers targeted support role in developing a comprehensive set to institutions and ministries to foster their of indicators crucial for Pakistan’s Human capacity to implement effective solutions. In Capital Review. The resulting indicators are Kenya, it provided critical support in developing now integrated into an interactive dashboard, potential entry points that improve policies, providing a dynamic platform for teams to planning, and budgeting of county-level monitor progress at the country, provincial, and national government programs to and district levels through time-series analysis invest in young children and boost women’s and mapped visualizations. The indicators are productivity. 10 INVESTING IN PEOPLE TO MEET GLOBAL CHALLENGES Similarly, through technical assistance and are spent, how well they are spent, and what trainings in Ethiopia , the program aims to funding and financing gaps exist to identify enhance the capacity of the National Education areas for institutional reforms and lay the Assessment and Examinations Agency to groundwork for effective interventions. conduct in-depth assessments in early grade reading, measure early learning and quality of A cornerstone of the Umbrella Program’s outcomes, and facilitate more frequent national mission is its commitment to promoting learning assessments. Simultaneously, in the gender equality and women’s empowerment. health sector, it is providing technical support Aligned with the World Bank’s Sahel Women’s to bolster capacity and expand Ethiopia’s Empowerment and Demographic Dividend Unified Nutrition Information Systems (UNISE) (SWEDD) project, GIRL actively addresses across 29 woredas identified under the World gender disparities and empowers women and Bank project with Human Capital Specific girls across various sectors. In Côte d’Ivoire, Purpose Grants (SPGs). These efforts improve for instance, it is leveraging radios and digital data collection and timely reporting of health technologies for SRH training in safe spaces. indicators to effectively monitor services. To In Togo, it is advancing women’s economic help governments prioritize fiscal resources empowerment by improving childcare services. for human capital investments, the Umbrella The interventions identify ways to support Program supported the development of parents in expanding day care services in Public Expenditure and Institutional Reviews areas of critical need, design accessible day (PEIRs). PEIRs in Bangladesh, Ethiopia, care centers, and implement remote training Kenya, Nigeria, and Pakistan provide a programs for day care managers in hard-to- comprehensive analysis of how public funds reach locations. Enlisting a cohort of African Girls and Women’s Empowerment Specialists, it is also building national and regional capacity in the Sahel region who will shape, implement, and advocate for policies and programs to empower women and girls. These seasoned specialists play a crucial role in guiding the design, supervision, and evaluation of the SWEDD project, as well as other initiatives on gender empowerment. The Umbrella Program serves as a catalyst for policy dialogue and advocacy, convening stakeholders and fostering thought leadership to mobilize resources and drive innovation. Regional platforms and summits, such as the Africa Human Capital Heads of State Summit, provide critical opportunities for leaders to commit to investments in human capital and set ambitious targets for progress. By amplifying the voices of key stakeholders and advocating for policy reforms, the program is instrumental in shaping the human capital agenda and accelerating solutions for challenges on a global scale. HUMAN CAPITAL UMBRELLA PROGRAM ANNUAL REPORT 2023 11 1. Program Overview of $7.1 million from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and an additional CAD 20 million commitment from the Government of Canada. 1.1. The Human Capital To date, signed agreements are valued at $22.9 million with funding provided to Umbrella Program Fuels 16 countries in Africa and South Asia where Investments in People human capital challenges are acute. Solutions to today’s global challenges require The Umbrella Program employs a whole-of- investments in people. Human capital—the government approach to assist countries knowledge, skills, and good health that people in designing and implementing evidence- accumulate over their lifetimes—empowers based multi-sectoral initiatives that enhance people and communities to achieve their full human capital across the life cycle. By potential. Access to good health and nutrition, mobilizing resources and expertise from relevant and adequate education, savings, and mutually dependent sectors and stakeholders, safety nets equip people to better weather it facilitates comprehensive reforms that result overlapping shocks. In a world contending in lasting social and economic transformation. with immense challenges, such as a fledgling Through data and analytics, it strengthens pandemic recovery, climate crisis, demographic governments’ capacity to deliver services transition, and waning economic growth, and spearheads technical engagement as building human capital is not only crucial for well as dialogue to promote efficiency and overcoming adversity but also instrumental for sustainability in public spending to increase lasting inclusive growth. financing for human capital interventions. It shapes the World Bank operations and lending An agile funding mechanism, the Human portfolio to embed a human capital approach, Capital Umbrella Program (the Umbrella fostering scalable solutions. It also serves as a Program) was launched in 2019, to accelerate global platform for countries and organizations investments in people, strategically to share relevant experiences and good addressing persistent global challenges. practices to pursue transformative change to The program received an anchor contribution build, protect, and use human capital. 12 INVESTING IN PEOPLE TO MEET GLOBAL CHALLENGES Leveraging the Human Capital Index (HCI), The Umbrella Program supports the an international metric that highlights how World Bank teams and client countries current health and education outcomes shape through three pillars: the productivity of the next generation of workers, the Human Capital Project provides I. Knowledge, evidence, and thought leadership as countries operationalize measurement. Advancing global their respective agenda. Under the Human analytics and knowledgebase on Capital Special Theme of the International whole-of-government approaches and Development Association (IDA), the Umbrella interventions across sectors to improve Program is also playing a crucial role in equity and human capital outcomes. responding to a confluence of crises, from Activities financed under this pillar supporting COVID-19 vaccinations to facilitating spearhead a comprehensive cross- human capital financing. sectoral agenda for measurement, knowledge, and evidence around human The Partnership Council, which includes capital. members from the WBG and donors, provides strategic guidance and direction on the II. Country engagement. Accelerating implementation of the trust fund, reviews human capital by building government progress reports, and endorses annual work implementation capacity and policy plans and budget. dialogue at the country level. Support under this pillar encompasses country- level analyses and provides direct operational and technical assistance for policy and program reforms to accelerate human capital outcomes. III. Global engagement. Increasing technical and financial engagements at the global level. Regional and global engagements set the agenda and build momentum for action to support human capital. In facilitating technical and financial engagements to country and regional teams, the Umbrella Program contributes to the mutual accountability and collaboration on the human capital agenda within the World Bank Group (WBG). This contribution stems from its alignment with the objectives of the Human Capital Project, a global program that comprises a network of 92 member economies committed to building and protecting human capital. HUMAN CAPITAL UMBRELLA PROGRAM ANNUAL REPORT 2023 13 1.2. The Umbrella Program out of school or having not reached secondary level. Despite the country’s efforts to address Advances Solutions to Address this challenge, the combined impact of the Global Challenges pandemic, the recent conflict, and economic crises reversed gains made in getting children The Umbrella Program continued to advance and adolescents back in school. its work, delivering tailored policy advice and evidence-based solutions to help countries A report supported by the Umbrella Program boost human capital outcomes. Human capital found that while access improved, schooling accounts for nearly two-thirds difference in remains out of reach for many children and the gross domestic product (GDP) per capita adolescents especially from disadvantaged, between developed and developing countries rural, and poor communities. For those (Jedwab et al. 2023). Yet, global challenges children who do eventually enroll in school, and rapid shifts in demographics, climate, about 1.5 million students in primary education and fragility pose threats that can widen gaps and 4.5 million students in high school are in human capital. The Umbrella Program at risk of dropping out (World Bank 2023). supported just-in time evidence-based The analysis provided the government with analysis and technical assistance, offering policies including establishment of a standard rapid response to changing circumstances as age to enter school, individualized learning, countries address priorities. investments in early childhood education, and intensive support in building skills for older The Umbrella Program addresses adolescents to help recover from learning loss. learning losses Similarly in Pakistan, where learning poverty is Given th e pandem i c’s enduri n g and high, the Umbrella Program was instrumental unprecedented impact on learning levels, the in proposing concrete policies and actions. It Umbrella Program took proactive measures supported World Bank teams in conducting to help countries accelerate efforts and a systematic review of children who are not recover from learning loss. This is urgent as in school and leveraging new data on youth simulated estimates indicate a surge in learning that are not in education, employment, or poverty rates—defined as the share of children training (NEET). It highlighted the poor quality unable to read and understand a simple of learning whereby 65 percent of children age-appropriate text at age 10—reaching perform below the minimum proficiency in 70 percent on average in low- and middle- reading. Pakistan’s learning poverty was further income countries, with children from lower aggravated by the pandemic and devasting socioeconomic backgrounds suffering the floods in 2022. The study (Box 1.1) identified greatest losses. The long-term consequences that the main and most common barriers to a r e e xpe cted to b e sub stantial, wit h children’s enrollment and progression in this generation of students at risk of losing school are high cost, distance to schools, $17 trillion in lifetime earnings in present perceived poor quality of education, and value—the equivalent of 17 percent of shortage of teachers. These barriers are today’s global GDP (Gregory et al. 2023). particularly pronounced in rural schools and persistent across education levels. The report This is the case in Ethiopia , where out-of- recommended policies that are tailored to the school rates have remained stubbornly high characteristics of distinct demographic groups with one-third of primary-age children not in to maximize impact. school and more than two-thirds of adolescents 14 INVESTING IN PEOPLE TO MEET GLOBAL CHALLENGES Box 1.1. A Sustainable Framework to Bring Children Back in School in Pakistan The Umbrella Program spearheaded a study aimed at reducing the number of out-of-school children and addressing learning poverty in Pakistan. The study proposes a comprehensive framework categorizing school children into three groups: those currently not in school, those who dropped out within the last two years, and those who have been out of school for more than two years. In addition, it addresses in-school children who are falling behind. The study outlines tailored policy packages for each group, emphasizing the need for targeted programs that not only reintegrate out-of-school children but also prevent them from dropping out. Accurate targeting based on factors such as age, gender, household socioeconomic status, and rural-urban location is crucial in designing and implementing effective solutions that improve learning outcomes. Out-of-school children Proposed policies, by age and at-risk students in school Age 5–9 Age 10–12 Age 13 and older Out of school Never in school School outreach to family School outreach to Accelerated skills + in-school remediation family + in-school program + technical and + multigrade classrooms remediation + bridge vocational education program (e.g., summer school) or accelerated skills program Students who dropped out Less than 1 year ago School outreach to School outreach to School outreach to family (identify dropout family (identify dropout family (identify dropout reasons) + in-school reasons) + in-school reasons) + in-school remediation remediation remediation 1 to 2 years ago School outreach to family School outreach to family School outreach to family (identify dropout reasons) (identify dropout reasons) (identify dropout reasons) + at-home reading materials + in-school remediation or + in-school remediation or + in-school remediation accelerated skills program accelerated skills program More than 2 years ago School outreach to family Accelerated skills School outreach to family + in-school remediation program + technical and + at-home reading materials + bridge program (e.g., vocational education + in-school remediation summer school) or accelerated skills program At-risk students in school Started on time Structured pedagogy Teacher training to Teacher training to identify at-risk students identify at-risk students + structured pedagogy + structured pedagogy + school report cards / + school report cards / parent-teacher meetings parent-teacher meetings Overage by 1 to 2 years Multigrade classrooms Structured pedagogy Structured pedagogy + structured pedagogy + blended learning options + blended learningoptions + at-home reading materials Overage by 2 or more Multigrade classrooms Structured pedagogy Structured pedagogy years + structured pedagogy + blended learning options + blended learning options + at-home reading materials Source: World Bank. 2023. Pakistan - Human Capital Public Expenditure and Institutional Review: Engaging Out-of-School Children. World Bank Publications. Washington, DC: World Bank. HUMAN CAPITAL UMBRELLA PROGRAM ANNUAL REPORT 2023 15 The Umbrella Program closes gender skills in local languages. In Côte d'Ivoire, it is disparities in human capital exploring the use of digital technologies such as cellphones and tablets to deliver SRH training Through the Gender Innovation and Regional and increase engagement with parents. Learning (GIRL) initiative, the Umbrella Program is leading efforts to advance gender GIRL establishes a global evidence base equality and empowerment of women and by coupling interventions with rigorous girls. The initiative is shaping policies and evaluations that reinforce technical assistance regulations across the Sahel, where levels of and foster peer learning among decision gender inequality are among the highest in the makers across the region. In Mali and Côte world, and complements the World Bank’s Sahel d’Ivoire, for instance, randomized control trials Women’s Empowerment and Demographic (RCTs) are under way to generate evidence and Dividend (SWEDD) project, which supports the assess the impacts of interventions. In addition, demographic transition in the region through ongoing research in Burkina Faso, Côte integrated investments that target 10–19-year- d’Ivoire, Mali, Mauritania, and Niger assesses old girls vulnerable to early marriage, teenage the impacts of combining safe spaces for girls pregnancy, and early school dropout. with livelihood support interventions. GIRL provides nimble funding that bolsters Initiatives supported by the Umbrella Program International Development Association (IDA) in Bangladesh and Ethiopia are also playing resources to drive targeted interventions a pivotal role in narrowing the gender gaps in for girls and their communities. It is piloting human capital. In Bangladesh, ongoing research interventions in the Republic of Congo that evaluates the effectiveness of adolescent health provide family-planning services and access interventions in diverse safe spaces, shaping a to contraceptives in the Brazzaville and Pointe government initiative that will provide targeted Noire provinces. In Mali, it supports interventions health services while addressing gender-based that empower health care workers to deliver violence (GBV). In Ethiopia, efforts are actively sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services addressing high fertility rates by identifying in safe spaces, utilizing health centers and key drivers and formulating region-specific providing households and girls with crucial life measures for intervention. 16 INVESTING IN PEOPLE TO MEET GLOBAL CHALLENGES The Umbrella Program enhances economic opportunities of marginalized groups By generating higher incomes, human capital accelerates the demographic transition and reduces poverty. An additional year of school, for instance, Interventions should also be flexible to address generates higher earnings on average. These unique constraints faced by women. Programs returns are large especially for women in low- that target women should help influence social and middle-income countries (World Bank 2019). norms which may include positive messaging People are also more productive when they about strong female role models and promote are healthier. Investments in human capital not changes in perceptions of women’s economic only boost skills and well-being but also have activities. Similarly, the employment of women a ripple effect on economic opportunities and in public leadership positions can bolster the household incomes. acceptance of ambitions and career aspirations among women. The Umbrella Program actively contributes to efforts that strengthen human capital and labor In Bangladesh, World Bank teams are working outcomes for vulnerable groups including with multiple agencies to enhance cash transfer women and youth. It supported a study in programs by incorporating complementary Pakistan which found that boosting incomes services. The goal is to not only boost earnings and livelihoods of the poor is crucial especially of beneficiaries but also transform initiatives to for women and informal workers. Programs economic inclusion programs. These programs that provide safety nets, such as combining offer a flexible solution through a multifaceted cash with interventions, along with economic package of interventions, combining cash or inclusion initiatives tied with ways to boost asset transfers along with a range of services productivity such as skills training, are critical that address various challenges households in sustaining livelihoods and human capital. encounter in the market. The Umbrella For marginalized groups, including women and Program played a crucial role in profiling youth who do not qualify for cash assistance, beneficiaries, including widows and persons getting seed capital to start a business, getting with disabilities, identifying their needs and access to small business loans, and learning tailoring interventions with an emphasis on technical and management skills are essential. promoting financial inclusion (Box 1.2). Box 1.2. Moving Up the Ladder: Economic Inclusion of Safety Net Recipients in Bangladesh The Umbrella Program supported a profiling survey on a random sample of beneficiaries in Bangladesh. The survey collected information on household socioeconomic and demographic characteristics; access to services; and perceptions, attitudes, and views on potential opportunities to improve respondents’ conditions. This granular level of information on beneficiaries is typically not included in nationally representative household surveys and provides a unique opportunity to identify the constraints facing the most vulnerable segments of the population and offer opportunities for sustainable livelihoods to gradually exit from safety net programs. HUMAN CAPITAL UMBRELLA PROGRAM ANNUAL REPORT 2023 17 The survey was instrumental in developing tailored economic inclusion packages that address the unique and multifaceted constraints, capabilities, and aspirations of each beneficiary group. These interventions typically include asset transfers, life skills and business training, mentorship, case management, and counseling. The exercise also helped identify disadvantaged beneficiaries to help policy makers in directing resources to those who need it the most. • Beneficiaries rely on support from family and For younger beneficiaries with high physical friends when faced with shocks capabilities and aspirations: • Monthly revenue (primarily from remittances) is • consumption stipend/cash transfer to meet basic low and inconsistent needs • Beneficiaries lack skills in nonagricultural • asset transfers (agricultural livelihoods should livelihoods be linked with micro-insurance; nonagricultural • Beneficiaries have low aspirations and negative livelihoods must be accompanied by basic outlook on life training) • Beneficiaries have limited emotional stability and • business skills training Widowed, conscientiousness, which are correlated with • life skills training Deserted, employability • low-intensity mentorship with a focus on and Destitute psychosocial counseling Women • inkages to health and childcare services Allowance (WA) For older beneficiaries with low physical capabilities and aspirations: • consumption stipend/cash transfer to meet basic needs • life skills training • high-intensity mentorship with a focus on psychosocial counseling • linkages to health and childcare services • Beneficiaries are likely to sell assets and rely on Interventions or younger beneficiaries with high family support when faced with shocks physical capabilities: • Monthly revenue (primarily from remittances) is • consumption stipend/cash transfer to meet basic low and inconsistent needs • Beneficiaries are unable to find work because of • asset transfers (beneficiaries can be matched social stigma about disability and lack of skills in with livelihoods based on assessment of their nonagricultural livelihoods functional abilities using Washington Group • Beneficiaries have low aspirations an negative on Disability statistics or the World Health outlook on life Organization Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0 • Beneficiaries have limited emotional stability and instrument) Disability conscientiousness, which are correlated with • business skills training Allowance employability • life skills training (DA) • medium- to high-intensity mentorship • linkages to social care services Interventions for older beneficiaries with low physical capabilities and aspirations: • consumption stipend/cash transfer to meet basic needs • life skills training • high-intensity mentorship with a focus on psychosocial counseling • linkages to social care services • Monthly revenue (primarily from remittances) is • asset transfer, with prioritization of nonagricultural low and inconsistent livelihoods Income • Beneficiaries lack access to formal jobs despite • business skills training Support interest and high levels of education • life skills training with a focus on women’s Program for • Female labor force participation is low economic empowerment the Poorest • Beneficiaries lack skills in nonagricultural • low-intensity mentorship Beneficiaries livelihoods • linkages to active labor market programs (ISPP) • Beneficiaries lack access to childcare • linkages to childcare services Source: Ahmed, S. Amer; Jumana Jamal Subhi Alaref, Mehtab Azam, Nazia Moqueet, and Jyotirmoy Saha. 2023. Moving Up the Ladder - Economic Inclusion of Safety Net Recipients in Bangladesh. PEI in Practice; Volume 8. Washington, DC: World Bank. https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/handle/10986/40144. 18 INVESTING IN PEOPLE TO MEET GLOBAL CHALLENGES The Umbrella Program strengthens than 33 million people. The repercussions of resilience to climatic shocks the natural disaster extended significantly to essential services, particularly schools. More The Umbrella Program actively supports than 24,000 schools across the country have efforts to counteract the threats of climate been damaged or destroyed. In Sindh, the change on people and communities. Climate hardest hit province, floods have damaged change stifles learning, undermines livelihoods, 39 percent of all primary and secondary schools. and intensifies diseases and malnutrition. At the same time, healthier, better-educated The Umbrella Program supported an assessment people are more resilient to a warming world. that centered on the findings of a nationwide Investing in human capital provides people phone survey and collected information from and communities with the skills and resilience 4,000 families with children ages 3 to 17. that can spur solutions and power the green Originally designed to track children’s return to industries of tomorrow. school after the COVID-19 pandemic, the survey was adapted to comprehensively document and In Bangladesh , a nation highly exposed to understand the challenges families faced during climate risks, proactive measures are being the heavy flooding in 2022 as the country seeks taken to mitigate the impacts of climate to protect and rebuild human capital. change. The government has committed to net-zero emissions and presented its ‘climate The study underscored the devastating impact prosperity plan’ at COP26.1 While many of the of the natural disaster on children’s education. potential climate policies have implications for Approximately 28 percent reported disruptions the informal sector, the impacts on this group or damage to schools, while 35 percent remain poorly understood and undocumented. reported complete damage. The study also To address this knowledge gap, the Umbrella estimates that about 1 million children could be Program supported a desk study that draws out of school due to floods (Barón 2022). This on existing micro-data sources, emissions situation can result in diminished household intensity tables by sector, microsimulation investment in children’s education, as families modeling, and review of planned climate-related grapple with restricted access to schools and policy to develop a suite of policy scenarios services, compounded by an already high cost and their implications for the poor, as well as of schooling. Indirect factors such as health provision of responsive social protection in the risks resulting from the destruction of health face of unforeseen challenges. A report to be facilities, impacts on children’s mental health, shared with stakeholders and decision makers increased food insecurity, and disruptions synthesizes a comprehensive review of climate to transportation services negatively affect policies and includes a database that details school attendance and learning outcomes. policies and legislation related to environmental Initial calculations based on the documented issues with direct implications for employment. flood damage to schools suggest that learning losses from the floods could exceed those due The Umbrella Program also took proactive to the pandemic if not remediated. The study steps in assessing the impact of the devasting calls for reducing constraints such as costs as floods in Pakistan on human capital. In 2022, well as a comprehensive package of support, Pakistan experienced one of the worst floods in including socioemotional interventions to help its history. Heavy monsoon rains, about six times children cope with trauma and to keep children the average of the last 30 years, affected more in school. 1 The 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference is more commonly referred to as COP26. HUMAN CAPITAL UMBRELLA PROGRAM ANNUAL REPORT 2023 19 1.3. The Umbrella Program Program also supported the restructuring of Bangladesh’s Cash Transfer Modernization Shapes World Bank Operations Project that now provides economic and to Deliver Impacts at Scale financial services to about 10,000 widows and persons with disabilities. Additionally, efforts The Umbrella Program holds a unique role were instrumental in the design and feasibility within the WBG, shaping the design and of a project that enhances investments in ECD. execution of human capital reforms at the country level and on a global scale. Through Similarly, the Umbrella Program is integral its support, it influences project design, in designing critical programs-for-results strengthens dialogue, and enhances capacity for (PforRs), a lending instrument linking funding stakeholders, leading to effective investments to sustainable results. In Ethiopia, it shaped that advance human capital outcomes. Since a PforR that will enhance the country’s health its inception, activities funded by the program systems and ensure equitable access to health have informed 26 World Bank-financed services. In Nigeria, it is assisting in identifying operations, totaling more than $7 billion in reforms to improve the government’s capacity lending and directly benefitting over 57 million for health and education services, shaping beneficiaries. indicators for an upcoming PforR that will strengthen public spending and resources for In Kenya, the Umbrella Program’s analytical human capital interventions. support is directly benefitting several World Bank-financed operations, targeting interventions across the life cycle. For instance, the Primary Education Equity in Learning Program includes activities that support early childhood development (ECD), such as a national survey to measure ECD and childcare services and technical assistance for teacher training. A new operation that focuses on providing universal health care will also ensure health and nutrition services are available to children in poor households. Additionally, an ongoing Social and Economic Inclusion Project ties Kenya’s cash transfer programs with economic services that promote ECD, while a youth-focused project offers training and childcare services to incentivize participation and offers childcare as a training track and potential employment opportunity. In Bangladesh, the Umbrella Program played a crucial role in initiating a project for the Economic Acceleration and Resilience for NEET Youth. The project reflects lessons from analytical work that identified constraints and interventions to maximize economic inclusion for the underserved group. The Umbrella 20 INVESTING IN PEOPLE TO MEET GLOBAL CHALLENGES 2. Highlights of Activities and Results The Umbrella Program assists governments by providing data The deliverables to and evidence, as well as on-the-ground technical support, and fosters dialogue and advocacy to advance the human date are summarized capital agenda at the country and global levels. It built on the in Table 2.1, with the momentum from previous years to further accelerate investments in people. Initiatives supported by the program are anchored Results Framework by a robust framework that tracks results using standardized indicators that help improve countries’ human capital outcomes. detailed in Annex 2. Table 2.1. Human Capital Umbrella Outputs Delivered to Date Outputs Number New tools developed 5 New methodological approaches developed 9 Reports, studies, and knowledge products produced 46 Workshops/seminars/conferences organized 67 Blogs, articles, and other publications published 48 Policies or programs that are adjusted or repurposed to facilitate human capital acceleration 24 Handbooks, manuals, and curricula produced 8 National human capital plans/strategies developed 37 New operations supporting human capital outcomes developed 8 Analytical work supporting policy and program reform on human capital 17 Pilots of human capital interventions implemented 1 High-level forums where policy makers discuss human capital 4 Human Capital Network policy makers participating in global peer-learning events 1,300 Study tours with whole-of-government human capital focus 0 Human capital country case studies and major multi-sectoral reports 8 The Results Framework utilizes indicators services, and (c) convening and thought that track activities under the following areas: leadership to generate momentum to address (a) measurement and indicators that provide an emerging challenges on human capital. evidence base to help motivate governments Activities and interventions supported by the to invest in human capital, (b) analytics and Umbrella Program reinforce each other and are investments on whole-of-government approach adapted to specific country contexts to ensure to improve governments’ capacity to deliver they deliver impactful results. HUMAN CAPITAL UMBRELLA PROGRAM ANNUAL REPORT 2023 21 Figure 2.1. Three Areas of Global and Country Engagement Measurement and Indicators • Improve data availability and quality to measure human capital outcomes Analytics and Investments • Strengthen government policies that support human capital outcomes • Improve efficiency and sustainability of public spending, increasing financing for human capital interventions • Scalable, efficient and equitable innovations to improve systems and governments' capacity to deliver services • Reduce gender gaps in human capital outcomes Convening and Thought-Leadership • Generate momentum for action to address emerging issues around human capital agenda 2.1. The Umbrella Program • Equitable access to human capital. Disaggregation of the HCI by different Optimizes Outcomes through categories such as gender, socioeconomic Data and Measurement background, or geography can shed light on gaps in services and help governments The Umbrella Program plays a pivotal role target interventions toward marginalized in advancing data and measurement to groups. In Bangladesh, disaggregating the inform policies and shape interventions. HCI using various data sources highlighted It allocates resources to create tools and low human capital outcomes across all methodologies that leverage the HCI, which population groups. The Umbrella Program quantifies the impact of health and education on the productivity of the next generation of supported a comprehensive study (Box 2.1), workers. Utilizing the HCI, it complements revealing that while the country has made policy measures and interventions by offering strides in advancing human capital, progress a quantitative assessment to evaluate gaps in remains uneven across households. The human capital and to determine prompt and study brought to light stark differences in strategic actions. Amid unforeseen challenges, child health and nutrition between richer and several World Bank teams with support from poorer households, resulting in disparate the Umbrella Program actively engaged in accumulation of human capital. The developing innovative tools and methodologies finding underscores the need for targeted that are grounded in the HCI, analyzing real-time measures to ensure equitable progress and data, and enhancing governments' capacity to break intergenerational poverty. deliver efficient human capital services. 22 INVESTING IN PEOPLE TO MEET GLOBAL CHALLENGES Box 2.1. Factors That Limit Children in Bangladesh from Attaining Their Full Potential Despite significant progress made, a child born in Bangladesh today will only achieve 46% of her/his full human capital potential. Driven by challenges in health, nutrition, and schooling, this is lower than the average in South Asia and lower-middle-income countries. An uneven recovery from the pandemic is also expected to hinder human capital accumulation further, as the dropout rate for vulnerable children, especially girls, is likely to rise because of prolonged school closures. An estimated 35,200 additional children are expected to drop out from primary and secondary education, likely never to return to the education system. A study supported by the Umbrella Program reveals a stark disparity in human capital accumulation among children from poor households. Those in the poorest quintile are expected to achieve only 42% of their potential productivity, compared to 49% for children in the wealthiest quintile—a 7 percentage point difference attributed to variations in health and schooling outcomes. Children from the poorest quintile are nearly twice as likely to experience stunting, reflecting broader disparities linked to poverty, urban-rural living conditions, and maternal education levels. The causes of disparities are deep rooted and reflect chronic poverty and institutional factors such as availability of services and accountability of services to disadvantaged populations. Disaggregated by household wealth quintile due to differences in child health and nutrition Bangladesh Poorest Second Middle Second Richest Data sources 20% poorest 20% wealthiest 20% 20% 20% HCI 0.46 0.42 0.45 0.46 0.46 0.49 Survival: Prob. of Survival to Age 5 0.96 0.95 0.96 0.96 0.97 0.97 MICS 2019 Quality and Quantity of Schooling: 0.56 0.54 0.56 0.57 0.56 0.57 Expected years of schooling 8.09 7.49 8.09 8.32 8.01 8.57 DHS 2017-18 Reading Comprehension scores 368 368 368 368 368 368 EGRA 2014-16 Health: 0.91 0.87 0.90 0.91 0.92 0.93 Fraction of Kids Under 5 Not Stunted 0.72 0.62 0.69 0.74 0.77 0.80 MICS 2019 Addressing these disparities will require targeted government programs to counteract factors contributing to unequal human capital accumulation. Human capital investments for the poor with a focus on improving nutrition, access to quality secondary education and beyond, and transitions to good jobs can help narrow the widening gap. Equally important are extensive social safety programs which insulate the vulnerable from climate change, economic, and various other shocks. These initiatives rely heavily on the availability of comprehensive data, enabling effective targeting to improve human capital outcomes. Note: Disaggregated data are available only for child survival, stunting, and expected years of schooling. Thus, learning outcomes are assumed to be equal to the national average for each wealth quintile. The resulting disparity in HCI is due to disparity in years of schooling, child health, and nutrition only. The disaggregated HCI has been scaled to match the global HCI figure. Expected years of school (EYS) ranges from 0 to 14 years. Enrollment and repetition rates used to construct estimates of EYS. Enrollment rates are taken from UNESCO Institute of Statistics and are supplemented with data gathered by World Bank staff. Due to unavailability of disaggregated data according to different wealth quintiles, the EYS is identical across all socioeconomic groups. The same holds true for identifying comprehension scores. Source: Inoue, K., K. Macdonald, R. Ahmed, and N. Ahsan. 2022. Towards Equitable Access to Human Capital in Bangladesh: Disaggregation Note. Washington, DC: World Bank Group. http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/099341309272235641/IDU0ecde25bc06bae049aa0b25e04dbdb1c4f442. HUMAN CAPITAL UMBRELLA PROGRAM ANNUAL REPORT 2023 23 • Dashboard of human capital service experiencing aggression from caregivers delivery indicators. The Umbrella Program (UNICEF 2019). To address these issues, played a pivotal role in developing a the Umbrella Program has spearheaded comprehensive set of indicators crucial the collection of innovative data focusing for Pakistan’s Human Capital Review, on critical dimensions such as COVID-19 encompassing the HCI, data on stunting, outcomes, aspirations, mental health, under-5 mortality, and quality of schooling. and growth mindset among adolescents. To ensure reliability and uniformity, Leveraging these data, the Ministry of micro-data from diverse sources have Education is developing a project aimed been harmonized, enabling a detailed at prioritizing secondary education. disaggregation of indicators by gender, Additionally, analytical work supported wealth, and location. The resulting indicators by the program demonstrates the are now integrated into an interactive transformative potential of interventions dashboard, providing a dynamic platform for centered around growth mindset, teams to monitor progress at the country, showcasing significant improvements in provincial, and district levels through time- learning outcomes and a delay in marriages series analysis and mapped visualizations. for adolescent girls. These findings The dashboard was instrumental in empower the World Bank teams to offer assessing ECD programs and in guiding evidence-based guidance to government World Bank operations in the area. The counterparts, facilitating the design of an indicators are also essential in developing impactful and scalable adolescent health a simulation tool that would identify the program for Bangladesh that integrates cost of bringing children back in school and health center, school, and community- gauge parental norms and attitudes toward based interventions. The program is girls’ education. poised to tackle GBV and mitigate harmful practices, including child marriage. • Gender and adolescent health. Adolescents in Bangladesh experience • Human capital and economic growth. high fertility rates with 59 percent of girls In Bangladesh, the Umbrella Program is being married before the age of 18 and playing a critical role in data collection to about 88 percent of adolescents reported initiate dialogue on harnessing human capital 24 INVESTING IN PEOPLE TO MEET GLOBAL CHALLENGES as a catalyst for inclusive development. program is providing technical support Employing a long-term growth model and to bolster capacity and expand Ethiopia’s adjusting the HCI to measure the extent Unified Nutrition Information Systems to which an individual can fully utilize her/ (UNISE) across 29 woredas identified under his human capital to increase productivity the World Bank project with Human Capital in the labor market, ongoing efforts involve SPGs. These efforts aim to improve data assembling data sets and scenarios to collection and timely reporting of health assess economic losses due to gaps in indicators to effectively monitor services. human capital and gains achievable through interventions. In addition, the Umbrella Program is also supporting a quantitative 2.2. The Umbrella Program analysis of historical data, delving into Boosts the Governments’ the correlation between human capital Capacity through Analytics outcomes and how they affected GDP per capita growth in Bangladesh. and Investments The Umbrella Program advances knowledge • Evaluating the impact of human capital and analytical foundations for whole-of- operation. The Umbrella Program has government approaches and multi-sectoral been instrumental in developing a interventions to strengthen human capital framework that assesses the impact of outcomes. It supports sustained investments potential human capital interventions in across various dimensions, promoting Ethiopia. By profiling 50 woredas through strategies that emphasize coordination administrative data and household surveys, among multiple government entities and these efforts laid the groundwork for the complementary sectors. This was the case development of specific purpose grants in Ethiopia where lack of multi-sectoral (SPGs) that target and improve human coordination in planning, budgeting, and capital outcomes. The Umbrella Program implementation limits the effectiveness of is also supporting the use of innovative human capital interventions with only 1 percent methodologies through satellite imagery of children reporting having access to essential and cellphones to gauge the impact of services (Skoufias, Vinha, and Sato 2019). The the recent conflict on health centers and Umbrella Program supported the revision of school facilities. national planning guidelines, standardizing • Designing data management systems to and aligning strategies and policy frameworks improve service delivery. The Umbrella at the federal, regional, and local levels P r o g r a m i s s u p p o r t i n g E t h i o p i a’s to improve services. An in-depth analysis Ministry of Education in building a data (Box 2.2) was also conducted on out-of-school management system designed to capture children, presenting options that will mitigate learning assessments. Through technical impacts of school closures resulting from the assistance and trainings, it aims to enhance pandemic and recent conflicts. To combat the capacity of the National Education stunting, the Umbrella Program is supporting Assessment and Examinations Agency a multi-sectoral strategy to be piloted in to conduct in-depth assessments in early woredas , drawing on behavioral change grade reading, measure early learning and mapping and aligning with the government’s quality of outcomes, and facilitate more 1,000+ days campaign—a nationwide initiative frequent national learning assessments. promoting maternal and child health during the Simultaneously, in the health sector, the critical first 1,000 days of life. HUMAN CAPITAL UMBRELLA PROGRAM ANNUAL REPORT 2023 25 Box 2.2. In Ethiopia, Getting Children and Adolescents Back in School While the report suggests a 20–40% increase in government spending for public education, a comprehensive financing plan is essential. Collaboration with the Ministry of Finance is recommended to create a funding mechanism directing resources to underserved regions and populations. In response to the immense funding needed to implement a comprehensive strategy, shifting financing from higher education to prioritize basic education and rebalancing overall sector spending are also proposed measures. The report also advocates for the establishment of a standardized entry age of seven years for students, accompanied by three to five years of intensive remedial support for older or returning students. Course offerings should be tailored to individual learning levels. For older adolescents, intensive support should focus on building numeracy, literacy, and foundational skills essential for employment. Out-of-school rates in Ethiopia persist at alarming levels, with one-third of primary-age children and Recognizing the critical importance of pre-primary over two-thirds of adolescents either out of school education, the report emphasizes prioritizing at or failing to reach secondary levels. Despite the least one year of activity-based learning to ensure country's earnest efforts to tackle this challenge, foundational learning and school readiness. recent conflicts, natural disasters, and economic During this period, competent individuals from the crises have undermined progress in getting children community can temporarily serve as instructors until and adolescents back in school. a pool of teachers with a strong background in early childhood education is established. The Umbrella Program supported a study revealing a significant number of children and adolescents, Innovative teaching models, such as smaller, less- particularly those from disadvantaged, rural, and specialized programs with versatile teachers in impoverished communities, still find schooling rural areas, community-based schools, distance beyond their reach. For those who do manage to education, blended learning, and self-directed enroll, approximately 1.5 million students in primary learning centers, are recommended to broaden education and 4.5 million in high school face a access to middle and secondary education and heightened risk of dropping out. The study attributes facilitate successful grade-level progression. this to a lack of interest in education among students To deepen community engagement, a community and parents, highlighting the pandemic, civil unrest, advisory group is proposed to identify and support and climate shocks as factors that have diminished out-of-school and at-risk children and adolescents. the perceived relevance of schooling for families. This group can enhance communication with Other contributing factors include the necessity to parents, establish a warning system for at-risk work, household obligations, distance from schools, students, and oversee school services such as and the age of the students. feeding programs, grants, and outreach to girls. Source: World Bank. 2023. A Flagship Report on Out-of-School Children and Adolescents in Ethiopia: Toward Effective Policies and Implementation. World Bank Publications. Washington, DC: World Bank. 26 INVESTING IN PEOPLE TO MEET GLOBAL CHALLENGES In Pakistan, the Umbrella Program supported critical support in developing potential a comprehensive Human Capital Review entry points that improve policies, planning, that identified critical challenges and areas and budgeting of county-level and for improvement, addressing ECD, child national government programs to invest malnutrition, out-of-school children, learning in young children and boost women’s poverty, and the labor market outcomes of productivity. Responding to the request the poor. The review, disseminated to key of the Presidential Policy and Strategy government counterparts, stakeholders, and Unit (PASU), a qualitative household study the public, underscored persistent disparities (Box 2.3) on malnutrition and ECD from in human capital outcomes, exacerbated by the five counties was completed. In addition, a pandemic, which eroded recent hard-earned technical note underscored the importance gains. The floods in 2022 added further strain of investing in infrastructure, electricity, and to households and the government's capacity digital technologies to improve the delivery to deliver essential social services. The review of health services including those critical calls for urgent measures to address health for ECD. and education crises, emphasizing the need • Similarly in Pakistan, the Umbrella Program for robust political commitment and proposing facilitated an analysis of ECD, drawing policies and institutional changes grounded in on global evidence that emphasizes the a multi-sectoral approach. significance of multi-sectoral investments The Umbrella Program plays a pivotal role in the early years to improve childhood in bolstering governments’ implementation outcomes. This study conducted an in- depth assessment of the policy landscape capacity, thereby accelerating improvements related to ECD, spanning sectors such as in human capital outcomes. Leveraging health and nutrition, responsive care, early analytics and technical assistance, it offers learning, and safety and protection. By targeted support to institutions and ministries examining gaps in service availability and to foster their capacity to implement effective associated risks, the analysis presented solutions. Many analytical activities aim to inform a comprehensive overview of Pakistani policies and strategies, influence institutional children's experiences during the first changes, and support cross-sectoral programs. 1,000 days (from conception to age 2) Some of the highlights are as follows: and from ages 3 to 5 across various sectors. The findings not only highlighted • A roadmap for ECD. Investments to support existing opportunities for improvement ECD and women’s economic empowerment but also identified key areas for targeted are critical in advancing human capital. In interventions and are shaping a strategy for Kenya , the Umbrella Program provided ECD programs in Pakistan. Box 2.3. Getting it Right! Improving Kenya’s Human Capital by Reducing Stunting Despite the high coverage rates of key nutritional interventions in Kenya, stunting remains persistently high, affecting close to 1.8 million children under five years old. Poor nutrition in early life irreversibly affects brain development and in turn learning and future productivity. Kenya incurs a substantial economic loss equivalent to about 6.9% of GDP due to undernutrition. In response, the Umbrella Program collaborated with the government to conduct a comprehensive study delving into the root causes of stunting at the household level across five counties with particularly high stunting rates, offering potential pathways for mitigation. HUMAN CAPITAL UMBRELLA PROGRAM ANNUAL REPORT 2023 27 Source: Abuya, Timothy, and Wangari Ng'ang'a. 2021. Getting it Right! Improving Kenya’s Human Capital by Reducing Stunting—A Household Account. Nairobi: Presidential Policy and Strategy Unit (PASU), Sahihi Africa, and Population Council Kenya. The study recommends leveraging community social structures, characterized by high levels of trust, as strategic entry points for interventions. Entities such as religious institutions and women's groups with whom households regularly interact could serve as conduits for service delivery such as feeding programs, early stimulation, and behavior change initiatives through educational channels, all while addressing broader socioeconomic needs. Collaborating with ECD centers to educate parents and caregivers is proposed to identify and support children facing malnutrition. Strengthening community health systems can reduce malnutrition and stunting, and continued collaboration with related sectors such as social services ensures that underlying challenges contributing to malnutrition are addressed. 28 INVESTING IN PEOPLE TO MEET GLOBAL CHALLENGES • Gender-inclusive service delivery. The decisions. Additionally, targeted efforts Umbrella Program is continuing efforts that address early marriage and improve to incentivize members of the Women the safety of work commutes for females Development Army in Ethiopia. Established are identified as crucial interventions. in 2011 as part of the government’s Collaborating with the Bangladesh Garment public health strategy, these community Manufacturers and Exporters Association workers play a crucial role in fostering (BGMEA) and the Bangladesh Knitwear community ownership of primary health Manufacturers and Exporters Association care activities, particularly maternal health, (BKMEA), the Umbrella Program is also and serve as volunteer health workers that finalizing a technical report that will help promote disease prevention, extending reintegrate vulnerable women back into essential services in health centers and the workforce. households. Resources from the Umbrella Program facilitated a study, pinpointing The Umbrella Program through the GIRL the bottlenecks faced by volunteers. The Initiative in Africa is advancing girls and findings underscored the importance for women’s empowerment. Aligned with SWEDD a high-level consensus on the volunteers’ regional flagship project, the initiative offers roles with government counterparts and technical support for the development and better engagement from related ministries. implementation of groundbreaking gender- In-depth consultations are also under way to transformative interventions. This initiative not understand factors influencing high fertility only spearheads innovative programs but also rates in the country and develop measures generates robust evidence that informs and to address them. influences both programmatic initiatives and policymaking. Recognizing the importance • Improving employment opportunities of creating evidence for effective large- for underserved groups. Nearly 12.6 scale implementation, the Umbrella Program million young people in Bangladesh collaborates closely with African policy makers are categorized as NEET, with women and key stakeholders, fostering an ambitious representing close to 90 percent (Al-Zayed learning agenda that integrates transformative 2022). To address this issue, the Umbrella interventions in empowering women and girls Program conducted a comprehensive across the region. Some of the highlights from analysis to identify the unique challenges GIRL are as follows: faced by disengaged youth which included gender disparities and the specific support • In Benin, GIRL is conducting a qualitative required to maximize their economic study that examines the impact of inclusion. These efforts were instrumental engaging young men through husbands’ in designing the Economic Acceleration clubs on male behaviors toward girls and and Resilience for NEET Youth project, how this can lead to progressive changes incorporating lessons learned from in social norms. the analysis to provide literacy, skills • In Cameroon, a qualitative study to assess development, and employment support childcare preferences was disseminated to to youth in Bangladesh. To understand government counterparts and the SWEDD social norms limiting female employment, project team to help design community- the Umbrella Program supported a study, based childcare centers. Recommendations recommending policies that influence the included tools that can be used to collect expectations of male family members, who data and information to design childcare wield significant influence over household interventions. GIRL also provides HUMAN CAPITAL UMBRELLA PROGRAM ANNUAL REPORT 2023 29 technical assistance in designing targeted interventions in both community and school settings. In addition, GIRL is actively involved in building the capacity to assess the impacts of these interventions, ensuring a comprehensive and sustainable approach to childcare initiatives in the region. • In Côte d’Ivoire, the Umbrella Program is leveraging radios and digital technologies for SRH training in safe spaces. An RCT is currently under way to evaluate the effectiveness of digitizing the curriculum through an app, which will be taught on tablets alone or in conjunction with in local languages to households with a component involving parents or adolescent girls. The Umbrella Program also tutors during SRH training sessions. supported qualitative research involving Complementary qualitative research 13 health providers to refine the content was completed, including messages and of SRH curriculum and training materials. content designed to inform parents, along RCTs are under way to evaluate the impact with the use of specific technology tailored of this intervention across diverse contexts, to appropriate contexts. The lessons including cross-border areas and conflict gained from this research were effectively zones. Simultaneously, a qualitative study communicated to government counterparts is exploring the importance of training and the SWEDD project team, fostering midwives and fostering community collaboration and knowledge sharing for engagement to advance adolescent girls’ the advancement of SRH initiatives. well-being. • The Umbrella Program is facilitating • In Togo, the Umbrella Program is advancing adolescent girls’ access to contraceptives women’s economic empowerment in the Republic of Congo through family by improving childcare services. The planning services and the provision of interventions identify ways to support contraceptives in the Brazzaville and Pointe parents in expanding day care services in Noire provinces. GIRL is identifying the areas of critical need, design accessible primary constraints that hinder adolescent day care centers, and implement remote girls in receiving family-planning services training programs for day care managers in and long-lasting reversible contraceptives. hard-to-reach locations. This approach not only addresses immediate childcare needs • In Mali, GIRL is actively shaping a pilot but also fosters economic opportunities for intervention that integrates health centers women by recognizing the role that reliable with safe spaces, providing adolescent girls childcare services play in enabling women with crucial life skills and information on to participate in the workforce. SRH. The initiative involves training health workers to deliver life skills curriculum, and • GIRL played a crucial role in completing in select communities, safe spaces will be a study on the impact of COVID-19 on established in health centers. A parallel education in Africa. While the study did not intervention will distribute recorded stories find evidence to suggest that gender gaps 30 INVESTING IN PEOPLE TO MEET GLOBAL CHALLENGES widened during the pandemic, it revealed how public funds are spent, how well they are a concerning trend that family support for spent, and what funding and financing gaps education may have weakened. Adolescents exist. They also identify areas for institutional faced challenges attending school as reforms that lay the groundwork for effective household resources were stretched thin, interventions. with competing demands such as additional caregiving responsibilities or engaging in • PEIR to ensure female labor force income-generating activities. The findings participation in Bangladesh. The Umbrella underscore the far-reaching consequences Program supported the completion of the of the pandemic on education in Africa, review, which underscored the importance emphasizing the need for targeted of a robust institutional structure that interventions to address challenges incentivizes public spending for female hindering students’ access to education. labor force participation. The report recommends best practices to transform • GIRL is also building national and regional Bangladesh’s budgeting process to a capacity in Africa to design, implement, results-driven planning tool. It also promotes and advocate for policies and programs to transparency and accountability in reporting empower women and girls. In collaboration public spending on gender issues, laying with Global Financing Facility (GFF), GIRL the groundwork for impactful strategies to enlisted a cohort of African Girls and advance female workforce engagement. Women’s Empowerment Specialists. These seasoned specialists play a crucial • PEIR to advance human capital in role in guiding the design, supervision, and Ethiopia. The Umbrella Program was evaluation of the SWEDD project, as well as instrumental in developing comprehensive other initiatives on gender empowerment. reviews of the education sector to address They support policy dialogue; contribute to learning poverty and assess the skills and analytical efforts; disseminate knowledge; employability of graduates, as well as the and facilitate coordination with clients, other effectiveness of social protection programs stakeholders, and development partners. in safeguarding vulnerable groups from As of September 2023, 13 specialists shocks. A synthesis of these reviews will had been selected from a pool of over provide valuable insights to a forthcoming 1,000 applicants, representing countries national public expenditure review. The such as Benin, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Umbrella Program also facilitated the Madagascar, Mali, Nigeria, Senegal, The reform of the public finance system that Gambia, and Uganda, marking a significant will link budgets and public spending with step in advancing initiatives across the the World Bank’s human capital operation region. in the country, reinforcing a strategic alignment of financial resources with human It is crucial to prioritize fiscal resources for development goals. human capital investments aimed at the poorest and the most vulnerable populations, • PEIR to advance ECD in Kenya. The while also ensuring spending efficiency, to Umbrella Program finalized a review, which effectively address losses and avoid further collected and analyzed expenditure data setbacks to human capital. The Umbrella on interventions and studied prevailing Program supported the development of Public institutional and policy frameworks Expenditure and Institutional Reviews (PEIRs) supporting ECD in Kenya. The expenditure which provide a comprehensive analysis of analysis examines data from national and county levels across sectors involved HUMAN CAPITAL UMBRELLA PROGRAM ANNUAL REPORT 2023 31 in delivering ECD services, including development partners such as the UK’s contributions from development partners Foreign Commonwealth and Development to present a thorough picture. The review Office, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and provides comprehensive recommendations United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) that will advance human capital through to build consensus around the proposed improvements in ECD in the country. reforms. • PEIR to improve delivery of health and • PEIR to address learning and nutrition in education services in Nigeria. The review Pakistan. The Umbrella Program completed examines the dynamics and impact of a comprehensive review of human capital institutional arrangements, policy, and public policies, programs, and investments spending in delivering human services in in Pakistan. The analysis delved into Nigeria. The assessment identified areas the effectiveness of public spending for institutional reforms, including at the and institutional structure, specifically county level, and consultations are under in learning and nutrition outcomes, to way with government counterparts and advance economic growth (Box 2.4). Box 2.4. Pakistan’s PEIR: A Strategic Blueprint to Advance Human Capital In Pakistan, supporting human capital in a fiscally In addressing nutrition outcomes, the report constrained environment requires a strategic underscores the need for improved data collection approach to reduce inefficient public spending. and enhanced coordination among key sectors. As the country grapples with long-term fiscal While national spending on nutrition has increased, deficits and increasing debt, the Umbrella Program critical nutrition-specific efforts, such as providing facilitated a comprehensive review that focused micronutrient supplements, are still not as high as on maximizing the impact of existing resources on they could be compared to similar countries in the human capital development, specifically in learning region. These interventions are crucial, but given and nutrition. budget constraints, the government will need to find efficient ways to deliver nutrition programs, The review finds that enrollment and learning especially since current delivery methods are costly outcomes in Pakistan have lagged across income compared to similar programs in other countries in groups and regions, particularly in early childhood the region (Table 2.2). education, contributing to an early learning gap. The report suggests that addressing malnutrition in the early stages can yield additional benefits for learning outcomes. Improving teacher salaries and accountability and leveraging data for policy making are identified as avenues to enhance the public sector's ability to translate expenditure into educational outcomes (Table 2.1). To ensure resources are allotted to areas that need them the most, the report proposes allocation based on school performance or giving special provisions for lagging districts. Federal and provincial governments will need to collaborate to explore efficient and equitable approaches to allocate education spending. 32 INVESTING IN PEOPLE TO MEET GLOBAL CHALLENGES Table 2.1. Interventions to Improve Learning and Institutions Short-term Interventions Medium-term Interventions Aligning interests and institutions • Intervention: Implement a body/systems (e.g., via PIE • Intervention: Provincial education departments with oversight from the inter-provincial Education should (i) ensure that school visits by district Ministers Committee) that synchronize, standardize, education officials adhere to existing guidelines, coordinate, analyze, publicize, and communicate including classroom observations; present content- Federal and Provincial education data on schools, specific support to teachers; check the status of the teachers, learning, and education outcomes, on the nonsalary budget; and ensure that learning materials back of existing systems such as GFMIS, EMA, are provided to students; and (ii) design and pilot NEMIS, EMIS, and HRS. formative assessments. • Outcomes: Synchronize fragmented data systems to • Outcomes: Enhance monitoring of student and enhance transparency, monitoring, policy making, classroom performance to enable adjustment and and in turn accountability and spending efficiency. enhance learning. Upskilling and motivating teachers • Intervention: Devise requirement/s to (re)certify • Intervention: For public sector teachers that do not teachers by passing the teaching test every 3-5 pass the certification exam or have poor student years, implemented by the National Testing Service learning outcomes, provincial education in collaboration with provincial in-service training departments should devise rules of retraining or and accreditation centers. phasing out. • Outcomes: Reduce inefficiencies by ensuring that • Outcomes: Reduce inefficiencies by ensuring that existing teachers are adequately skilled so that existing teachers are adequately skilled so that children learn. children learn. • Intervention: The Ministry of Finance together with • Intervention: Pilot dual-track recruitment system for the Ministry of Education to consider options for teachers, with new recruitment undertaken on aligning salary scale across the public sector based wwrenewable term contracts with performance on market comparators for equivalent skills and to conditions and remuneration at prevailing market include performance criterion for salary increases. rates rather than public service scale. • Outcomes: Reduce inefficiencies by ensuring that • Outcomes: Expand number of qualified teachers in a teachers are paid according to skill and encourage fiscally sustainable manner. better teaching performance. Preparing children as learners • Intervention: The Federal Ministry of Education, in • Intervention: Piloting of evaluated approaches, collaboration with researchers, to (i) review supply including home-based schooling, that may be and demand-side constraints to ECE; (ii) study how suitable to Pakistan’s context. These programs could other countries address ECE access constraints, also encompass nutrition elements targeted at including complementing ECE programs with young children and new mothers. nutrition programs. • Outcomes: Improve ECE access and reduce impact • Outcomes: Improve ECE access. of food insecurity on children’s ability to learn. Preparing children as learners • Intervention: Provincial education departments to • • Intervention: To address horizontal imbalances in investigate and either close or reinvigorate schools the post-18th Amendment setup, evaluate options with no teachers. for capitation grants or targeted transfers from • Outcomes: School closures can free up resources provinces to districts / schools such as performance- for more productive use and scaling up of schools based school allocations or district equalization can reduce multigrade teaching challenges. These grants. can enhance learning outcomes by having learning • Outcomes: To improve equity in resource allocation actually happen. and accountability, and learning outcomes. PIE = Pakistan Institute of Education, GFMIS = Government Financial Management and Information System, EMA = Education Management Authority, NEMIS = National Education Management Information System, EMIS = Education Management Information System, HRS = Human Resource Systems including existing financial, biometric, and performance indicators, ECE = Early Childhood Education. HUMAN CAPITAL UMBRELLA PROGRAM ANNUAL REPORT 2023 33 Table 2.2. Nutrition-Sensitive Interventions Short-term Interventions Medium-term Interventions Aligning interests and institutions • Intervention: The federal government should • Intervention: With the support of political champions, consider establishing a federal–provincial ensure that District Coordination Committees for coordination committee similar to the Education Nutrition meet regularly and perform their mandate. Ministers Committee where political champions • Outcome: Enhance coordination of nutrition come together. interventions across the district and sectors to • Outcome: This can be a first step to improving policy reduce duplication, explore synergies, and enhance coordination, prioritization, and resourcing. performance management. • Intervention: (i) Reactivate the nutrition expenditure tracking system (NETS) in Sindh via the Accelerated • Intervention: Pilot expanding the NETS to the rest of Action Plan (AAP) and (ii) train staff to record the country and consider also expanding the NETS expenditure more accurately in the financial to track foreign assistance for nutrition. management system. • Outcome: Improve tracking, transparency, and • Outcome: Improve tracking, transparency, and accountability of nutrition expenditure. accountability of nutrition expenditure. Nutrition-specific interventions • Intervention: Federal and provincial governments • Intervention: Based on earlier findings, consider together evaluate the efficiency of existing potential reforms, including more optimal ways of nutritional service delivery modes— programs as delivering nutrition programs and reduce overlap of well as potential duplication in delivery of nutrition programs such as between provincial wheat programs—to seek efficiencies and reduce costs. purchases and subsidies and BISP transfers. • Outcome: Create fiscal space for more spending on • Outcome: Improve equity and efficacy of nutrition high impact nutrition specific interventions. spending. • Intervention: The federal government through its • Intervention: Pilot (perhaps in Sindh under AAP and communication arm should consider devising a with partners like BISP) a digital registration system gender-informed community communication of severe and moderate malnutrition cases to enable strategy centered on ensuring the nutritional needs sharing of data across service delivery partners and of girls and mothers and assessing the long-term programs. impact on the community. • Outcome: Better identify and monitor severe acute • Outcome: Improve equity in nutrition and buy-in of malnutrition cases, enhance synergies, and reduce involved actors. duplication. Implementing these reforms has the potential to yield substantial gains in human capital, fostering growth and poverty reduction. The report outlines a scenario where Pakistan closes its HCI gap as it improves its learning and nutrition outcomes toward the regional average in the next five years. Sustaining this momentum over several decades can lead to a more prosperous Pakistan, with the estimated GDP per capita around 15 percent higher than that of low- and middle-income countries, contributing significantly to long-term poverty reduction. Source: World Bank. 2023. Pakistan Human Capital Review: Building Capabilities Throughout Life. World Bank Publications. Washington, DC: World Bank. 34 INVESTING IN PEOPLE TO MEET GLOBAL CHALLENGES 2.3. The Umbrella Program with significant progress made in involving Pan-African institutions such as the Drives the Human Capital Economic Community of West African States Agenda through Convening (ECOWAS) and the Economic Community and Thought Leadership of Central African States (ECCAS) in the platform’s ongoing initiatives. The Umbrella Program leverages the global network of the Human Capital Project, • Africa Human Capital Heads of State facilitating knowledge sharing across regions Summit (Box 2.5). The Umbrella Program and globally. By convening stakeholders and played a pivotal role in organizing a call to fostering engagement on key policy issues, it action to invest in human capital to drive aims to shift mindsets through advocacy and innovation, resilience, and growth in the drive innovation that is critical to accelerate continent. Emphasizing the urgent need to investments in human capital. At the country address Africa’s young and rapidly growing and regional levels, the Umbrella Program population, the summit underscored capitalizes on this convening power to the importance of creating productive generate momentum and drive the human employment and functioning markets that capital agenda. can make the most of these changing demographics. Leaders from 43 African • Regional platform for gender countries committed to step up efforts empowerment. GIRL was instrumental in through the Dar Es Salaam Declaration organizing a convening that promoted a with specific financing and policy targets regional platform to share knowledge on in health, education, and job creation. the legal frameworks supporting gender Ongoing efforts involve in-depth exchanges empowerment. Attended by over 100 legal to operationalize commitments made under practitioners from nine countries, the the declaration with the development of event addressed critical aspects such as accelerator plans to identify each country’s revising laws related to GBV, identifying priorities. Somalia’s inclusion in the Human effective methods for informing vulnerable Capital Network, bringing members to a communities especially in conflict areas, total of 92 countries, was also a significant and engaging civil society organizations outcome of the summit. HUMAN CAPITAL UMBRELLA PROGRAM ANNUAL REPORT 2023 35 Box 2.5. Charting the Future: Investments in Human Capital at the Africa Heads of State Summit William Ruto, President of Kenya, speaking during the Heads of State panel discussion. Photo: World Bank The Africa Human Capital Heads of State Summit especially for female students, and access to quality convened an assembly of heads of state and health care and nutrition. Participants also focused ministers representing 43 countries. In a gathering on strengthening the links between education attended by more than 1,300 people, leaders systems and labor markets. In a historic agreement, pledged their commitment to investing in Africa’s leaders endorsed the Dar Es Salaam Declaration, growing young population to catalyze its economic identifying concrete targets for health and education growth. and job creation, as well as specific goals for immunization coverage, maternal and child mortality The summit comes at a critical time as many children reduction, and stunting. Commitments also extended and young people in the continent face significant to improving access to secondary and tertiary barriers hindering their potential, stemming from education for adolescent girls, digital skills training, inadequate access and poor quality of critical and increased resources dedicated to human services such as health and education. Africa’s HCI capital outcomes. The summit served as a platform score of 0.40 underscores that the region is only for diverse stakeholders, including Mastercard, the tapping into 40% of its productive potential. The only European Commission, GFF, and the Bill & Melinda continent where 70% of its people are under the age Gates Foundation to convene, exchange knowledge, of 30, Africa is poised for substantial growth, with and explore ways to collaborate. Participants over 400 million young people entering working age emphasized the concerted effort needed from by 2035. governments, the private sector, civil society, and donors to realize Africa's potential and achieve The summit delved into pressing issues, addressing the ambitious goals outlined in the declaration, the quality of instruction, teacher training, the with each playing a vital role in fostering change, importance of secondary school completion ensuring accountability, and mobilizing resources. 36 INVESTING IN PEOPLE TO MEET GLOBAL CHALLENGES While not directly funded by the Umbrella women’s barriers to employment, upskilling Program, Ministerial Conclaves organized by and reskilling the youth and adult workforce, the Human Capital Project and held biannually and leveraging entrepreneurship for job around the World Bank–IMF Meetings serve growth. The most recent conclave marked the as catalysts for meaningful dialogue among network’s fifth anniversary as a premier global Ministers of Finance. These discussions propel forum in elevating the human capital agenda practical solutions to complex policy challenges, and addressing global challenges. Previous which influence global leadership and gatherings, for instance, tackled issues around investments in human capital. During the 2023 pandemic recovery, food security, and climate World Bank–IMF Annual Meetings, for instance, change. These high-level convenings ensure member countries discussed solutions that that lessons emerging from global, regional, can boost job creation and entrepreneurship. and country programs are captured and made Ministers focused on policies and programs available to stakeholders to help build capacity, that make the most of the potential of human influence policy, and improve investment capital to create jobs, particularly by lowering decisions and operations. HUMAN CAPITAL UMBRELLA PROGRAM ANNUAL REPORT 2023 37 3. Financial Highlights and Disbursements As of December 2023, the Umbrella Program has two donors who have committed to financing $22.9 million. This section provides financial information concerning donor contributions, disbursements, and allocations for the Umbrella Program. Table 3.1 provides the donor agency names and the status of contributions. Table 3.1. Donor Contributions Status of Contributions as of end of December 2022 Amount in Donor name Currency Amount in US$ Contribution Currency Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation USD 7,100,000 7,100,000 15,825,000 The Government of Canada CAD 20,000,000 (approx.) Total 22,925,000 The Umbrella Program allocated funds to seven grantees as follows: Bangladesh, Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria, Pakistan, and the countries in the Sahel region. Table 3.2 summarizes the allocations and disbursements. Table 3.2. Allocations and Disbursements (US$) Cumulative Cumulative Country/Region Budget Allocateda (US$) Budget Disbursed (US$) Bangladesh 1,820,000 1,490,000 Burkina Faso 280,000 280,000 Ethiopia 1,400,000 1,030,000 Kenya 1,000,000 1,000,000 Nigeria 400,000 290,000 Pakistan 1,250,000 1,250,000 The Sahel 7,570,000 3,640,000 Pakistan 500,000 330,000 Total 14,220,000 9,310,000 *Note: a. Allocations and disbursements as of February 20, 2024. Allocations correspond to funds received to date, not total allocations considering the entire amount of donor commitments. 38 INVESTING IN PEOPLE TO MEET GLOBAL CHALLENGES Annex 1: List of Trust-Fund Financed Activities Grant Undisb. TF Grant Approval Grant Current FY Fund Grant Amount Grant No. Grant Name Trustee Umbrella Approval Amount Allocation Disb. (US$, Status Country (US$, Program Date (US$, Amt ($M) millions) millions) millions) Promoting Multi-Sectoral Policies to Boost Human Capital Outcomes Burkina Faso - Support to Human Human TF0B2977 Capital Strategy CLOSED TF073417 Burkina Faso Capital 3-Jun-2020 0.46 0.28 0.00 0.00 Design and Umbrella Implementation Human Pakistan Gates TF0B4612 CLOSED TF073417 Pakistan Capital 1-Dec-2020 1.25 1.25 0.00 0.00 HCP MDTF Umbrella Human TF0B3029 Gates HCP ACTIVE TF073417 Kenya Capital 12-Jun-2020 1.00 1.00 0.01 0.05 Umbrella Ethiopia Human Multisectoral TF0B4583 ACTIVE TF073417 Ethiopia Capital 10-Dec-2020 1.40 1.40 0.36 0.07 Human Capital Umbrella Support Human Gates HCP – TF0B3024 ACTIVE TF073417 Bangladesh Capital 10-Jun-2020 1.82 1.82 0.31 0.07 Bangladesh Umbrella Human Capital Human Public Expenditure TF0B7813 ACTIVE TF073417 Nigeria Capital 23-Jan-2022 0.40 0.40 0.10 0.07 and Institutional Umbrella Review Gates Human Eastern and Human TF0C2098 Capital Heads of ACTIVE TF073417 Southern Capital 11-Jul-2023 0.50 0.50 0.17 0.33 State Africa Umbrella HUMAN CAPITAL UMBRELLA PROGRAM ANNUAL REPORT 2023 39 Annex 1: List of Trust-Fund Financed Activities Grant Undisb. TF Grant Approval Grant Current FY Fund Grant Amount Grant No. Grant Name Trustee Umbrella Approval Amount Allocation Disb. (US$, Status Country (US$, Program Date (US$, Amt ($M) millions) millions) millions) The Sahel: Girls' and Women's Empowerment in Africa Generate Evidence Human Western TF0B6275 to Shape Programs ACTIVE TF073417 Capital 12-Aug-2021 0.76 0.76 0.74 0.01 Africa and Policymaking Umbrella GWE in Africa: Design and Human Western TF0C0783 Pilot Gender- ACTIVE TF073417 Capital 12-Aug-2021 2.76 2.76 0.93 0.49 Africa Transformative Umbrella Interventions GWE in Africa: Build National and Human Regional Capacity Western TF0C0784 ACTIVE TF073417 Capital 12-Feb-2023 1.87 1.87 0.91 0.46 to Implement Africa Umbrella Policies and Programs GWE in Africa: Human Generate Evidence Western TF0C0799 ACTIVE TF073417 Capital 25-Mar-2023 2.18 2.18 1.35 0.33 to Shape Programs Africa Umbrella and Policymaking Note: TF= Trust Fund. Allocations and disbursements as of February 20, 2024. 40 INVESTING IN PEOPLE TO MEET GLOBAL CHALLENGES Annex 2: Results Framework Target Actual Outcomes Output Indicators (number) (number) 1. Improved HCI data New tools developed 7 5 and knowledge New methodological approaches developed 11 9 Reports, studies, knowledge products produced 55 46 2. Improved knowledge on Workshops/seminars/conferences organized 81 67 whole-of- Blogs, articles, and other publications published 70 48 government Press/media citations 940 821 approaches Academic citations 10 0 3. Improved Policies or programs that are adjusted or repurposed to 30 24 implementation facilitate human capital acceleration capacity to People trained 2,590 1,476 accelerate human Study tours participants 32 4 capital outcomes (country level) Handbooks, manuals, curricula produced 11 8 4. Strengthened government capacity Cross-sectoral collaborations between government 52 40 to coordinate for entities in support of human capital supported multisectoral/ multipartner approaches (country National human capital plans/strategies developed 40 37 level) New operations supporting human capital outcomes 13 8 developed 5. Operational ASAs supporting policy and program reform on human 25 17 Support and Lending capital (country level) Pilots of human capital interventions implemented 39 1 Beneficiaries reached by operations/pilots, individuals 35,000,000 57,436,343 (gender-disaggregated) High-level fora where Ministers and other high-level policymakers discuss HC-relevant themes (e.g., 4 4 6. Improved Conclaves, HCP Global Forums, WBG Annual Meetings) implementation Human Capital Network policy makers participating in capacity to 300 1,300 global peer-learning events accelerate human Study tours with whole-of-government human capital capital outcomes 1 0 focus (global level) Human capital country case studies and major 8 8 multisectoral reports HUMAN CAPITAL UMBRELLA PROGRAM ANNUAL REPORT 2023 41 Annex 3: Operations Informed by Trust Fund Financed Activities Project IDA (US$, Country Project Name Approval FY Project Development Objective Status millions) To improve the transparency and efficiency of selected cash Cash Transfer Bangladesh FY18 Active transfer programs for vulnerable populations by modernizing 300.00 Modernization service delivery Recovery and To provide services that can enhance earning opportunities for Bangladesh Advancement of Informal FY21 Active low-income urban youth, urban youth impacted by COVID-19, and 200.00 Sector Employment returning migrants Accelerating and To equip Bangladeshi youth and workers, including women and Strengthening Skills for Bangladesh FY21 Active the disadvantaged, with skills demanded for the future of work 300.00 Economic Transformation and improved employment prospects Project (ASSET) To provide income support to the poorest mothers in selected Income Support Program Upazilas, while (i) increasing the mothers use of child nutrition Bangladesh FY15 Closed 250.00 for the Poorest (ISPP) and cognitive development services, and (ii) enhancing local level government capacity to deliver safety nets To promote economic inclusion and resilience of the youths who Economic Acceleration Bangladesh FY23 Active are not in employment, education, or training (NEET) in 300.00 and Resilience for NEET Bangladesh Bangladesh Enhancing To expand access to the national child benefit program and Bangladesh Investments and Benefits FY24 Active 210.00 improve delivery of early childhood development services for Early Years (BEIBEY) Learning Acceleration in To improve student learning and retention and build system Bangladesh Secondary Education FY24 Active 300.00 resilience in secondary education Operation To increase the quality and utilization of health services with a Health Services Burkina Faso FY19 Active particular focus on maternal, child and adolescent health, 80.00 Reinforcement Project nutrition, and disease surveillance Ethiopia Human Capital To strengthen delivery of and accountability for basic services Ethiopia FY23 Active 400.00 Project that improve nutrition and learning outcomes Ethiopia Education and To improve employment outcomes of the Technical and Ethiopia Skills for Employability FY24 Active Vocational Education and Training (TVET) system of Ethiopia with 200.00 Project a focus on women and marginalized groups 42 INVESTING IN PEOPLE TO MEET GLOBAL CHALLENGES Annex 3: Operations Informed by Trust Fund Financed Activities Project IDA (US$, Country Project Name Approval FY Project Development Objective Status millions) Ethiopia General Education To improve internal efficiency, equitable access, and quality of Ethiopia Quality Improvement FY18 Active 355.00 the education sector Program for Equity Ethiopia Education To increase equitable access and retention and improve learning Ethiopia Transformation Program FY25 Pipeline 400.00 outcomes at the pre-primary and primary education levels for Results Ethiopia P4R To improve access to and equitable provision of high-quality PHC Ethiopia Strengthening Primary FY23 Active services, with a focus on RMNCAH+N, while strengthening health 400.00 Health Services systems Ethiopia P4R To improve access to and equitable provision of high-quality PHC Ethiopia Strengthening Primary FY24 Pipeline services, with a focus on RMNCAH+N, while strengthening health 49.97 Health Services systems To reduce regional disparities in learning outcomes, improve the Primary Education Equity in Kenya FY22 Active retention of girls in upper primary education, and strengthen 200.00 Learning Program systems for delivering equitable education outcomes Kenya National Youth To increase employment, earnings and promote savings for Kenya Opportunities Towards FY23 Active 220.00 targeted youth, at national scale Advancement Project Kenya Social and To strengthen delivery systems for enhanced access to social Kenya Economic Inclusion FY19 Active and economic inclusion services and shock-responsive safety 250.00 Program nets for poor and vulnerable households To support the Government of Nigeria in improving human capital Nigeria Human Capital service delivery through strengthening allocation and utilization Nigeria Opportunities for FY24 Pipeline 500.00 of financial and human resources in basic education and primary Prosperity and Equality health care To strengthen equitable delivery and quality of essential health National Health Support Pakistan FY22 Active services at the primary health care level in support of Universal 258.00 Program Health Coverage HUMAN CAPITAL UMBRELLA PROGRAM ANNUAL REPORT 2023 43 Annex 3: Operations Informed by Trust Fund Financed Activities Project IDA (US$, Country Project Name Approval FY Project Development Objective Status millions) To support the government to: (i) respond to school disruptions Actions to Strengthen caused by the COVID-19 pandemic; (ii) recover access and Performance for Inclusive Pakistan FY21 Active improve education quality; and (iii) enhance sector resilience 200.00 and Responsive Education through better coordination, with a focus on disadvantaged areas Program (ASPIRE) and vulnerable populations To improve utilization and quality of basic RMNCAH+N, for poor Sindh Integrated Health Pakistan FY23 Pipeline and vulnerable populations, especially women and children, in 200.00 and Population Project targeted areas of Sindh Strengthening Social To strengthen social protection service delivery system and Pakistan Protection Delivery System FY23 Active enhance accessibility and utilization of Mother and Child Health 200.00 in Sindh Services in selected districts in Sindh To continue to (i) strengthen civil registry and vital statistics Securing Human (CRVS), health and education systems essential for human capital Pakistan Investments to Foster FY21 Pipeline accumulation; (ii) recognize the contribution of women to 400.00 Transformation (SHIFT) II economic productivity; and (iii) improve national safety nets to respond to shocks in a more efficient manner Girls’ Results Agenda for To increase the participation of girls and boys in pre-primary and Pakistan Development of Education FY24 Active primary grades, enhance girls’ retention to middle school, and 150.00 Sector in Punjab improve reading proficiency in primary grades Punjab Family Planning To increase women and adolescent girls’ empowerment and Pakistan FY24 Active 100.00 Program utilization of quality family planning services in Punjab To increase women and adolescent girls’ empowerment and their Sahel Women's access to quality reproductive, child and maternal health services Empowerment and in selected areas of the participating countries, including the Sahel FY15 Active 680.00 Demographic Dividend Recipients' territory, and to improve regional knowledge Project (SWEDD) generation and sharing as well as regional capacity and coordination TOTAL 7,102.97 44 INVESTING IN PEOPLE TO MEET GLOBAL CHALLENGES References Al-Zayed, S. 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Washington, DC: World Bank. HUMAN CAPITAL UMBRELLA PROGRAM ANNUAL REPORT 2023 45 Photo Credits: Cover: Omotayo Tajudeen / Pexels Sumit Saraswat / Shutterstock Freepik / www.freepik.com Emmanuel Ikwuegbu / Pexels Table of Contents: Freepik / www.freepik.com Page 04: Caroline Suzman / World Bank Page 05: Freepik / www.freepik.com Page 06: Flore de Preneuf / World Bank Page 08: Dominic Chavez / World Bank Page 10: Dominic Chavez / World Bank Page 11: Freepik / www.freepik.com Page 12: Kakoli Dey / Shutterstock Page 13: Chantal Rigaud / GPE Page 16: Vincent Tremeau / World Bank Page 17: Dominic Chavez / World Bank Page 20: Peter Kapuscinski / World Bank Page 24: Visual News Associates / World Bank Page 26: Stephan Bachenheimer / World Bank Page 30: Ollivier Girard / World Bank Page 32: Visual News Associates / World Bank Page 35: Ollivier Girard / World Bank Page 36: World Bank Page 37: World Bank Page 46: Freepik / www.freepik.com For more information, please visit www.worldbank.org/humancapital Umbrella Information: GABRIEL DEMOMBYNES MANAGER, HUMAN CAPITAL PROJECT SONIA MADHVANI PROGRAM MANAGER, HUMAN CAPITAL UMBRELLA PROGRAM RYTHIA AFKAR PROGRAM MANAGER, HUMAN CAPITAL UMBRELLA PROGRAM humancapital@worldbank.org