The World Bank’s Human Development Practice Group hosted this open event highlighting why investment in people—starting from the early years through to adolescence—must be secured as the foundation for building human capital across the world.

Journalist Femi Oke moderated a panel headlined by Adolfo Rubinstein, Argentina’s Minister of Health; Mabel van Oranje, Founder and Chair of Girls Not Brides; Julia Gillard, former Prime Minister of Australia and Chair of the Board of Directors for the Global Partnership for Education; Michelle Bachelet, Former President of Chile and incoming chair of PMNCH; Henrietta Fore, UNICEF Executive Director; and Kristalina Georgieva, World Bank Chief Executive Officer.

Panelists showed their passion and commitment to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals by putting people first. Each made an urgent call to action from a different perspective, including: ensuring that a child’s is well nourished during her first 1000 days; receives proper care; is protected from violence and conflict; marries late so that she can attend secondary school and onward education; and can later prosper by earning an income.

Building the foundation of human capital is possible: it entails scale, coordination, collaboration and most of all innovation. The World Bank Group's Human Capital Project will incentivize the type of investment in people that the world needs.