Publication: Pakistan – Human Capital Review: Building Capabilities Throughout Life
Other Files
92 downloads
76 downloads
49 downloads
56 downloads
Date
2023-04-04
ISSN
Published
2023-04-04
Author(s)
Ersado, Lire,
Hasan, Amer
Geven, Koen Martijn
Kathuria, Ashi Kohli
Baron, Juan
Bend, May
Ahmed, S. Amer
Abstract
Pakistan can realize major economic
growth and development by investing in its people and their
human capital. But the reality is that Pakistan’s human
capital is low and has improved only marginally over the
past three decades. Inequalities in human capital outcomes
have persisted or widened over time between the rich and
poor, men and women, and rural and urban areas and among the
provinces. Human capital outcomes are low across the board,
with even the most economically advantaged groups in
Pakistan having lower human capital outcomes than less
economically advantaged groups in peer countries. Pakistan’s
Human Capital Index (HCI) value of 0.41 is low in both
absolute and relative terms. It is lower than the South Asia
average of 0.48, with Bangladesh at 0.46 and Nepal at 0.49.
Pakistan’s human capital outcomes are more comparable to
those in Sub-Saharan Africa, which has an average HCI value
of 0.40. To enhance its human capital, Pakistan should adopt
a life cycle approach to building, protecting, and deploying
human capital, starting before birth, continuing through
early childhood development, and schooling, culminating in
increasingly productive employment. This calls for a
long-term commitment, recognition of the multidimensional
and cumulative nature of human capital investments,
deliberate efforts from multiple stakeholders and sectors to
build on intersectoral linkages, and a continuity of
policies across political parties and governments. Many
countries previously at Pakistan’s level of development have
managed to precisely do this, even with regional variations
and gaps just as large. Pakistan has the tools to implement
the recommendations in this report, provide stewardship for
human capital investments, and enhance economic growth over
the long term. Pakistan’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic
has shown that the country can manage complex challenges,
despite its institutional constraints.
Citation
“Ersado, Lire,; Hasan, Amer; Geven, Koen Martijn; Kathuria, Ashi Kohli; Baron, Juan; Bend, May; Ahmed, S. Amer. 2023. Pakistan – Human Capital Review: Building Capabilities Throughout Life. © Washington, DC. http://hdl.handle.net/10986/39629 License: CC BY 3.0 IGO.”