As we continue to focus on the huge set-back to human capital from COVID-19, which has caused disruptions at all the different stages of the life cycle, from children’s early years losses from being out of school and out of work, to many deaths among the elderly, especially men, the pandemic also made stark the need to focus on equality and resilience going forward.

Only with greater equality in access to services and greater resilience in systems, whether for education or health care or social protection, will we be able to ensure that the next shock or next pandemic does not cause the same disruption. As challenges accumulate — from conflict to climate change to inflation to increasing racial and social inequalities, we need to continue to look for solutions that secure human development. Using our tools and know-how to support all people, especially the poorest and the most vulnerable, throughout their life cycle, is what makes our contribution more important than ever before.

When women and men have equal opportunities to shape their own lives and contribute to their families, communities, and the economy, countries experience enhanced productivity and improved development outcomes, while businesses and institutions perform better.

Since the Africa Human Capital Plan began, we have committed over $11.5 billion to new projects that promote gender equality at home, school, and work. We are investing in women and girl’s health, education, and economic empowerment, as well as a first generation of projects that supports human capital policy reform. This work is all the more critical in the face of COVID-19, which has disproportionately impacted the schooling, employment, and domestic lives of women and girls.

In parallel, the world is facing a climate crisis. Women are increasingly being recognized as more vulnerable to the effects of climate change as they constitute the majority of the world’s poor and are more dependent on natural resources.

As part of the Africa Human Capital Plan, we are focused on ensuring safe and equitable access to social services and opportunities for girls and women and eliminating harmful social norms through policy reforms and community engagement. We have an opportunity now — and we are seizing it — to fix systems, practices, and funding to build a more inclusive, resilient recovery.

The rise of the knowledge economy, rapid developments in technology, and the growing impact of climate change, all necessitate a quality education for our citizens. An education that reflects the changing global landscape is our best tool to meet the aspirations of our young people and their parents.

The Africa of tomorrow is built in our schools today. Progress has been made, but millions of children in Sub-Saharan Africa still remain out of school or cannot read and comprehend a simple text by the time they reach the age of 11. Our countries are facing learning crises that are exacerbated by the ongoing COVID-19 crisis.

Through the Africa Human Capital Project, we are helping countries turn commitments to education into action. We actively support the improvements in the quality of education accessible by our youth and make it more accessible at all levels. We emphasize inclusiveness to ensure that girls in rural or fragile areas are not left behind. While we teach our children to be resilient, their education systems must be as well. A good education can turn a child into a lifelong learner, reaping benefits for themselves and their communities well beyond the classroom. We are making smart and effective investments in people’s education to develop the human capital that will end extreme poverty and deliver on the promise of shared prosperity in Africa.