Human Capital Development

High-quality education and training, social support and good health are key to building human capital and boosting the incomes of poor people. Highly skilled, knowledgeable and motivated workers—those with high levels of human capital—earn more than those with low levels. Human capital is also one of the main engines of economic growth.

People accumulate human capital over the course of the life cycle. Developing high levels of human capital requires support on many levels—from appropriate nutrition in utero, to stimulation in early childhood, high-quality schooling, helping at-risk youth develop socio-emotional skills, and programs to facilitate the school-to-work transition and provide continuous education and training for workers.

The IDB helps policy-makers maximize their returns on investment by financing projects that create synergies and inherent complementarities across the stages of the life cycle. Priority areas for IDB investments include: 

• Prenatal Health Care
• Early Childhood Development (ECD): Education and Health & Social Investment
• School Quality
• Youth at Risk: School to Work Transition; Youth Employment; and Youth Program ( Sports )
• Labor Market Insertion