Inaugural Session
Voices from the Forum
Faris Hadad-Zervos, World Bank Country Manager for Nepal: We are gathered with the common goal to invest in people and in their early years so they can realize their full potential. This is of course no easy task requiring true vision and leadership and hard policy and financing decisions. People are the true capital that if empowered creates more infrastructure and charts new pathways to growth.
Hans Timmer, Chief Economist, South Asia Region, World Bank: When Nepal and Bhutan are further developing the education system, the two countries might want to think about the importance of diversification and experimentation in education, the importance of a level playing field to ensure equality of opportunity for kids to access higher quality education, and the importance of nation-wide quality control.
Nim Dorji, Secretary, Ministry of Finance, Bhutan: The Royal Government of Bhutan is fully committed in investing in human capital as the development paradigm is based on the pursuit of Gross National Happiness. Under the 12th five year plan the government is fully committed in investing in health, education, development of skills and job creation to narrow the income gap. Bhutan believes that investing in people is the right thing to do.
Honorable Finance Minister, Dr. Yuba Raj Khatiwada: Human capital is the central driver of sustainable growth and the foundation of future competitiveness. The role of policy makers is to ensure balance between investment in human capital and the creation of opportunities for them to engage in on the economic side. Forums like this must also educate our political perspective that we need to look at the longer term perspective which is critical for sustainable development.
Video messages from the World Bank’s Annette Dixon, Vice President-Human Development and Hart Schafer, Vice President-South Asia Region, and Ani Choying Drolma, UNICEF Nepal National Ambassador underscore the need to make investments in the health, education and learning of the people Nepal and Bhutan a priority.
Watch the session here.
Joint Sessions
1. Whole of Government: The Story Behind the Success
This session discussed the Whole-of-Government (WGA) Approach of the Human Capital Project drawing in examples from countries on successes and challenges in improving human capital outcomes. The session recommended that coordination is key to the success of the WGA approach to accelerate the accumulation of human capital.
Moderator: Ms. Lynne Sherburne-Benz, Director, World Bank
Presenter: Mr. Zelalem Debebe, Economist, Human Development Practice Group, World Bank
Panelists: Mr. Nim Dorji, Secretary, Ministry of Finance, Bhutan; Dr. Usha Jha, Honorable Member, National Planning Commission; Mr. Abdoulaye Ka, National Coordinator, National Nutrition Coordination Committee, Senegal; Prof. Le Anh Vinh, Vice Director General, The Vietnam Institute of Educational Sciences
Watch the session here.
2. Investing in Early Years: Narrowing the Gap Early
The session focused on the importance of the early years in a child’s life in building human capital that will drive economic growth in countries through examples from South Asian countries including Bhutan, Nepal and India. The first 1,000 days are a critical period for the development of a child and investment in this window of primary importance.
Moderator: Ms. E. Gail Richardson, Health, Nutrition and Population Practice Manager for South Asia Region, World Bank
Lightening Talks: Ms. Meera Shekar, Global Lead for Nutrition, Health, Nutrition and Population Global Practice, World Bank; Mr. Abdoulaye Ka, National Coordinator, National Nutrition Coordination Committee, Senegal
Panelists: Ms. Jean Gough, UNICEF Regional Director; Dr. Kiran Rupakhetee, Joint Secretary, National Planning Commission, Nepal
Watch the session here.
3. Changing Nature of Jobs
The session discussed the findings of the new WDR 2019 “The Changing Nature of Work” and the role of technology as relevant to Bhutan and Nepal. The shift from learning facts to critical thinking and the link between learning and work were highlighted in the discussions with country examples from Bhutan and Nepal identifying strategies to increase job opportunities and productivity of the population.
Moderator: Mr. Hans Timmer, Chief Economist for the South Asia Region, World Bank
Lightning Talks: Ms. Roberta Gatti, Chief Economist for the Human Development Group of Practices, World Bank
Discussants: Mr. Lok Nath Bhusal, Under Secretary, Ministry of Labor, Employment and Social Security, Nepal; Mr. Sherab Tenzin, Director General, Department of Employment and Human Resources, Ministry of Labor and Human Resource, Bhutan; Mr. Tenzing Yonten, Executive Member, Bhutan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Bhutan
Watch the session here.
4. Quality of Services
This session discussed the prevalence and impact of poor quality of service delivery across the health and education sector. It will then go onto explore the evidence base of ‘what works’ in improving quality especially in low resource setting. More specifically it will interrogate the decisions regarding investments that focus building individual capacities of frontline workers as against more systematic investments such as regulation and accreditation.
Moderator: Mr. Cristian Aedo, Education Global Practice Manager for South Asia Region, World Bank
Lightning Talks: Ms. Gail Richardson, Health, Nutrition and Population Practice Manger for South Asia Region, World Bank; Mr. Halsey Rogers, Lead Economist, Education Global Practice, World Bank; Prof. Le Anh Vinh, Vice Director General, The Vietnam Institute of Educational Sciences, Vietnam
Discussants: Mr. Karma Yeshey, Secretary, Ministry of Education, Bhutan; Mr. Khaga Raj Baral, Secretary, Ministry of Education, Science &Technology, Nepal; Dr. Pushpa Chaudhary, Secretary Ministry of Health & Population, Nepal; Mr. Tashi Penjor, Chief Planning Officer, Ministry of Health, Bhutan
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5. Measurement and Data for Progress
This session highlighted the role of data science analytics and tech innovations in evidence-based decision making and effective targeting and delivery of services. Country examples in education, health and nutrition, and disaster management from Bhutan, Nepal and India were shared at the session, with suggestions for data-driven strategies for servicing priority clients.
Moderator: Ms. Roberta Gatti, Chief Economist for the Human Development Practice Group, World Bank
Presenters: Mr. David Wilson, Program Director, Health, Nutrition and Population Global Practice; Mr. Halsey Rogers, Lead Economist, Education Global Practice
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6. Resource Mobilization and Budgeting for Human Capital Development
The session looked at newer ways to formulate public sector budgets that emphasize societal wellbeing and invest in human capital, particularly targeting disadvantaged groups and early childhood education. The session discussed the linkage of human capital and budgets in Bhutan and Nepal and the contribution of the private sector in human capital investment.
Moderator: Mr. Christian Eigen-Zucchi, Program Leader for Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh, World Bank
Presenters: Mr. Vinaya Swaroop, Economic Advisor, Development Effectiveness Unit of the Africa Region, World Bank; Mr. Kirk David Schmidt, Governance Specialist, World Bank
Discussants: Mr. Nim Dorji, Secretary, Ministry of Finance, Bhutan; Mr Shreekrishna Nepal, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Finance, Nepal
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7. Water and Sanitation
The session explored the impacts of inadequate access and quality of water supply and sanitation on human capital outcomes in Nepal and Bhutan. The session identified a number of practical entry points to link water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH), and broader integrated water resources management and water security, in a multi-sector approach to human capital development.
Moderator: Mr. Sanjay Srivastava, Program Leader, Sustainable Development and Infrastructure, World Bank
Keynote Speech: Honorable Minister Ms. Bina Magar, Ministry of Water Supply, Nepal
Presenter: Mr. Richard Damania, Senior Advisor Water Global Practice, World Bank; Ms. Therese Dooley, Regional Wash Advisor, UNICEF
Watch the session here.
