A Scoping Review Mapping the State of Human Capital Development in Somalia: Strategies of Improvement, Their Barriers and Recommendations

Abstract

Backgro und: Somalia faces multiple human capital challenges, resulting in its human capital index being unranked by the World Bank. The Somali federal government commissioned this review to inform the development of the nation’s strategic plan for implementing the Human Capital Development (HCD) agenda in Somalia. Objective: To map evidence on the human capital development (HCD) in Somalia, across health, Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH), education, social protection, gender equity, and innovation, as well as the strategies used to promote HCD, their barriers and recommendations. M ethods : We searched Cochrane CENTRAL, MEDLINE, EMBASE, Web of Science, Africa Index Medicus, Scopus, and CINAHL from 15 February 2015 to 25 February 2025. We also searched for grey literature on multiple governmental and non-governmental websites. Study selection was conducted independently in duplicate, with discrepancies resolved through discussion. Results were synthesised narratively. Results: The search yielded 2056 records from databases and 1148 articles from the grey literature search, resulting in 56 articles included in this review. Most studies focused on health (67.9%), fewer on innovation (5.4%). There was low acceptance and uptake of ANC, immunisation, contraception and post-abortion (PAC), mainly due to low education levels, cultural and religious restrictions, financial costs, and long-distance challenges. Strategies to avert this primarily included behavioural and social-norm change initiatives. As much as mortality rates among neonates and mothers were reported, effective strategies were not reported. Stunting management and social protection were often managed using unconditional cash and food transfers. However, studies have reported variable results, suggesting the need to combine this strategy with adequate counselling to enhance outcomes. Only one study reported that the gender parity index had risen from 0.80 in 2022 to 0.84 in 2023. Social norm correction strategies were effective in addressing gender-based violence matters. There was limited information on education. Those reporting on it mentioned strategies that encourage the use of local dialects in teaching to enhance educational acceptance, particularly among marginalised groups. Digital health records were the latest innovation adopted by more than 63% of health centres in Somalia. The innovation sector was greatly challenged by a lack of policy guidelines and their subsequent implementation. Conclusion: HCD is underreported in Somalia, presenting a need for a cross-cutting approach that incorporates further research on effective strategies to inform behavioural change communication, investment in service delivery, coordination across sectors, addressing institutional gaps, social norm shifts, policy development, and stakeholder engagement.