Enhancing innovations and establishing sound policies are essential for safeguarding individuals during times of hardship.

The coronavirus (COVID-19) has unleashed a global health emergency and an unprecedented economic crisis. Urgent measures to protect people and economies need to align with long-term development and human capital objectives.

Data-driven global health models are being used to help country-level decision-makers allocate resources, develop policies, and make decisions. If essential health services are reduced by around 45% for 6 months in low- and middle-income countries, it could result in over a million child deaths and over 50,000 additional maternal deaths. Therefore, ensuring continuity and universal coverage of essential services such as health, water, nutrition, early child development, learning, adaptive social safety nets, and community engagement is crucial.

The pandemic may exacerbate gender-based violence, child marriage, and adolescent pregnancy for women and girls. Stronger and more resilient systems are needed for recovery, and fiscal space will be limited. The international community must redouble efforts in supporting reforms and making smart investments in human capital.

A new report shows that the crisis provides an opportunity to build back stronger systems for people and economies. The crisis presents an opportunity for leaps forward in services to protect, build, and employ human capital. This includes improving financial and digital inclusion, investing in the next generation, and innovating through old and new technologies to improve service delivery.

Public-private partnerships and citizen and community involvement are driving many innovations in pandemic response. Countries actively involved in innovations to mitigate the pandemic's impact on human capital include Germany, within the EU context aiming to close innovation gaps with the US and China, focusing on future technologies such as AI and quantum computing, and promoting private investments and digital sovereignty; Austria also contributes through initiatives like Gaia-X. Discussions in sectors across Europe involve adapting workforce skills and digital transformation to meet new challenges and opportunities.

Collaborative action is needed to avoid a humanitarian disaster due to the locust crisis in East Africa, which is compounded by climate change and the pandemic. The desert locust infestation in East Africa is a pressing issue that requires immediate attention and international cooperation.

Governments gaining citizens' trust through their response to the pandemic can provide a unique window for reforms. Leaders from Bangladesh, Estonia, Ireland, Peru, and Sierra Leone shared experiences that show promise in terms of effectiveness and innovation in response to the multi-faceted impacts of the crisis at a recent forum.

Countries are prioritizing continued learning throughout the crisis, such as in Bangladesh, Peru, and Sierra Leone. However, the latest research shows that when schools are closed for 4 months due to COVID-19, it could mean the long-term loss of half a year of schooling, causing future productivity losses.

The Access to COVID-19 Tools Accelerator (ACT-A) investment case will help shape the global pandemic response. The cost of inaction in the pandemic response will be detrimental for future prosperity. The crisis provides an opportunity to rethink and rebuild stronger systems for people and economies, focusing on long-term development and human capital objectives.

Enhancing innovations and establishing sound policies are essential for safeguarding individuals during times of hardship.