Human Capital Umbrella Program: Transforming Global Investment in People Through Data, Policy, and Innovation

The Umbrella Program has supported data collection and policy diagnostics in various countries, directly aligning with World Bank operations.

Launched in 2019, the Human Capital Umbrella Trust Fund Program is a flagship initiative of the World Bank, backed by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Government of Canada. It is a cornerstone of the broader Human Capital Project (HCP), which brings together 95 member economies committed to building, protecting, and utilizing human capital for long-term prosperity.

The Umbrella Program goes beyond financing; it catalyzes investments in people by informing policy, facilitating reforms, and strengthening implementation across key sectors. It takes a comprehensive, evidence-based approach structured around three operational pillars:

1. Knowledge, Evidence, and Measurement

2. Country Engagement

3. Global Engagement

Impressive Reach and Tangible Impact

Since its inception, the Umbrella Program has informed 29 World Bank-financed operations, accounting for over $8.5 billion in lending. It acts as a driving force that shapes World Bank country strategies, sectoral operations, and technical engagements at both regional and global levels.

This trust fund serves as a platform for adaptive learning, particularly in an era marked by volatile global challenges such as:

• Climate change

• Demographic transitions

• Technological shifts, including the rise of artificial intelligence (AI)

By enabling governments to navigate this uncertainty with better data and capacity, the Umbrella Program supports resilient, inclusive growth.

Evidence-Based Action at the Country Level

The Umbrella Program has supported data collection and policy diagnostics in various countries, directly aligning with World Bank operations. Here are several country-level highlights:

Bangladesh

A comprehensive phone survey of 1,500 women and girls, both NEETs (Not in Education, Employment, or Training) and non-NEETs, helped identify barriers preventing them from accessing education, vocational training, and employment. This directly informed strategies to boost female participation in the workforce.

Ethiopia

Through support for the Unified Nutrition Information System (UNISE), the program has significantly improved the country’s capacity for nutrition monitoring and evaluation. Additionally, close collaboration with Ethiopian ministries helped assess and enhance health and education policy implementation, combining capacity building, tailored planning, and resource mobilization.

Nigeria

In Nigeria, the Umbrella Program identified institutional, governance, and financial bottlenecks that hinder education and healthcare service delivery. This diagnostic exercise was accompanied by a stakeholder-driven reform process to drive sustainable improvements.

Advancing Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment

Gender inclusion is a central pillar of the Umbrella Program. It aligns closely with the SWEDD (Sahel Women’s Empowerment and Demographic Dividend) initiative, its successor SWEDD+, and the GIRL (Gender Innovation and Regional Learning) initiative.

Key Gender-Focused Activities Include:

• Togo, Cameroon, and The Gambia: Legal and policy reforms that dismantle systemic gender barriers.

• Côte d’Ivoire: A study on how religious and community leaders shape social norms, aimed at refining strategies to combat gender-based violence (GBV).

• Regional Work: Support for the African Union’s Convention on Ending Violence Against Women and close collaboration with ECOWAS-WAHO on sexual and reproductive health rights.

The GIRL initiative also fosters regional learning and informs the development of scalable interventions that advance gender equity across sectors like education, health, and social protection.

Driving Global Advocacy and Policy Dialogue

In addition to technical assistance and funding, the Umbrella Program is a hub for thought leadership and global policy advocacy. It actively:

• Convenes stakeholders to promote alignment on key reforms.

• Provides technical tools and methodologies to help governments track human capital progress.

• Supports data systems and dashboards that enable evidence-based decision-making.

Ministerial Conclaves

Though not directly funded by the Umbrella Program, Ministerial Conclaves under the Human Capital Project have become vital venues for strategic dialogue. Held during the World Bank–IMF Annual Meetings, these gatherings bring Ministers of Finance together to explore forward-looking themes such as:

• The impact of climate change on labor markets and education

• Strategies for boosting youth employment and entrepreneurship

• Leveraging digital technology and AI to improve human capital outcomes

These conclaves facilitate cross-country learning and ensure that best practices from both global and local programs are effectively disseminated.

A Vision for the Future

Looking ahead, the Human Capital Umbrella Trust Fund Program will continue to champion:

• Cross-sectoral approaches to human development

• Scalable models that are context-specific yet globally relevant

• Sustainable partnerships with national governments and international institutions

The Program is poised to deepen its impact as it expands efforts to empower individuals, especially women and youth, and strengthen the systems that enable equitable access to education, healthcare, and economic opportunity.

In doing so, the Umbrella Program is not just investing in people—it is shaping the foundation of inclusive, resilient societies for generations to come.