[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"doc-detail-108189-en":3,"doc-seo-108189-105":30,"detail-sidebar-cat-0-en-105":95},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":6},0,"success",{"doc_id":7,"user_id":8,"nickname":9,"user_avatar":10,"doc_module":4,"category_id":11,"category_name":12,"doc_title":13,"doc_description":14,"doc_content":15,"file_id":16,"file_url":17,"file_type":18,"file_size":19,"view_count":20,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":21,"is_downloadable":21,"audit_status":21,"page_count":22,"language":23,"language_code":24,"site_id":25,"html_lang":24,"table_of_contents":26,"faqs":27,"seo_title":13,"seo_description":14,"update_tm":28,"read_time":29},108189,549758146520,"Patrick","https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/avatar/80002397d8c0411e94?_k=1775819394049821470",8,"Research & Report","Serbia Human Capital Review - Building Human Capital for Long Term Prosperity","Rapid ageing, low labour productivity, and persistent inequalities weaken living standards in Serbia. The review assesses human capital progress across childhood and youth, adult life, and old age, highlighting how uneven education, health, and social protection coverage affects outcomes. Public spending on human development is declining, while service delivery quality and equity gaps remain. The report calls for more and better human capital investments, improved spending efficiency, and policies that address ageing, equity, and productivity to support long-term prosperity.","Public Disclosure Authorized Public Disclosure Authorized Public Disclosure Authorized Public Disclosure Authorized  \nBUILDING HUMAN CAPITAL FOR LONG TERM PROSPERITY  \nSerbia Human Capital Review  \nBUILDING HUMAN CAPITAL FOR LONG TERM PROSPERITY  \nPublisher  \nFor the publisher  \nEditing  \nDesign  \nISBN  \nPublished  \nUNICEF Serbia  \nDeyana Kostadinova, Representative Matthew Naumann  \nRastko Toholj 978-86-80902-54-8  \nApril 2022  \nThis work is a product of the staff of UNICEF and The World Bank with external contributions. The findings, interpretations, and conclusions expressed in this work do not necessarily reflect the views of UNICEF, The World Bank, its Board of Executive Directors, or the governments they represent.  \nPhoto credit  \nCover page. Freepik • Page 8. ©UNICEF Serbia/Pancic • Page 12. ©UNICEF Serbia/Pancic • Page 20. ©World Bank Page 29. ©UNICEF Serbia/Pancic • Page 34. Freepik • Page 36. ©World Bank • Page 42. ©World Bank  \nPage 58. ©UNICEF Serbia/Pancic • Page 68. Freepik • Page 76. ©UNICEF Serbia/Pancic  \n© United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) 2022  \nCONTENTS  \n1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY  \nRapid ageing, low productivity and enduring inequalities are affecting the living standards of Serbians  \nLow progress on human capital is worsening underlying challenges  \nMore and better investments in human capital are needed to support long term prosperity  \n2 INTRODUCTION  \nSerbia’s triple challenge: low productivity amidst an unequal and aging society  \nHuman capital, resilience and the COVID-19 pandemic  \nWhy a human capital review?  \n3 SOLID PROGRESS ON HUMAN CAPITAL, BUT STILL SOMEWAY TO GO  \nThe foundations: childhood and youth  \nAdult life  \nOld age  \nHuman capital and the COVID-19 pandemic  \n4 DECLINING PUBLIC SPENDING ON HUMAN DEVELOPMENT  \n5 INEQUITABLE COVERAGE AND QUALITY OF SERVICE DELIVERY  \nEducation  \nHealth  \nSocial protection  \nSocial assistance  \nActive and passive labour market programmes  \nPensions  \n6 EFFICIENCY GAINS COULD HELP IMPROVE THE COVERAGE AND QUALITY OF SERVICE DELIVERY  \nEducation  \nHealth  \nSocial protection  \n7 ADDRESSING AGEING, EQUITY AND PRODUCTIVITY CHALLENGES FOR LONG-TERM PROSPERITY  \nAdapting to changing demographics  \nClosing equity gaps in opportunities  \nProtect human development spending and ensure its sustainability  \nIncreasing spending efficiency  \nReferences  \n9  \n9  \n9  \n10  \n13  \n14  \n17  \n18  \n21  \n22  \n28  \n33  \n35  \n37  \n43  \n43  \n47  \n51  \n51  \n55  \n56  \n59  \n59  \n61  \n63  \n69  \n70  \n71  \n73  \n73  \n77  \nTable of Figures  \nFigure 1.1 Absolute poverty has not fallen despite sustained pre-COVID-19 economic growth 14  \nFigure 1.2 Labour productivity is low 15  \nFigure 1.3 Before COVID-19, access to jobs increased but quality worsened 15-16  \nFigure 1.4 There will be fewer and fewer working-age adults supporting the elderly 17  \nFigure 2.1 Serbia’s human capital levels are high by Western Balkan standards 22  \nFigure 2.2 Infant and child mortality rates are improving but not fast enough 23  \nFigure 2.3 Children are more likely to be living in absolute poverty than adults 24  \nFigure 2.4 Regional differences in neonatal health (low birth weight) 25  \nFigure 2.5 Increasing educational attainment 26  \nFigure 2.6 Learning Outcomes (Reading), PISA 27  \nFigure 2.7 Significant inequities in education outcomes 28  \nFigure 2.8 Key labour market outcomes differ across groups 30  \nFigure 2.9 Adult mortality rates are high 31  \nFigure 2.10 Serbia is comparatively unsuccessful in early detection and treatment of cancer 32  \nFigure 2.11 The elderly make up an increasing share of the population living in absolute poverty 33  \nFigure 2.12 Ill health affects the quality of life in old age 34  \nFigure 3.1 Serbia’s government expenditure partly reflects high outlays on wages, salaries and pensions. 38  \nFigure 3.2 Government expenditures on education have been falling 39  \nFigure 3.3 Government expenditures on health have been falling 39  \nFigure 3.4 Health expenditure largely comprises out-","cbCaiaYrt8VUmfRm","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaiaYrt8VUmfRm","pdf",7696006,3,1,81,"English","en",105,"# Executive Summary\n# Introduction\n# Solid Progress on Human Capital, but Still Someway to Go\n# Declining Public Spending on Human Development\n# Inequitable Coverage and Quality of Service Delivery\n# Efficiency Gains Could Help Improve the Coverage and Quality of Service Delivery\n# Addressing Ageing, Equity and Productivity Challenges for Long-Term Prosperity\n# References","[{\"question\":\"What major challenges does the review identify for Serbia’s long-term prosperity?\",\"answer\":\"The review highlights rapid ageing, low productivity, and enduring inequalities that are affecting living standards. It also notes low progress on human capital worsening underlying challenges.\"},{\"question\":\"How does the report evaluate human capital across the life course?\",\"answer\":\"It examines foundations in childhood and youth, adult life, and old age. It also discusses how human capital relates to the COVID-19 pandemic.\"},{\"question\":\"What do the findings say about public spending and service delivery?\",\"answer\":\"Public spending on human development is declining. The review reports inequitable coverage and quality of education, health, and social protection service delivery, with ongoing gaps across groups.\"},{\"question\":\"What actions does the report recommend to improve outcomes?\",\"answer\":\"The report calls for adapting to changing demographics, closing equity gaps, protecting human development spending for sustainability, and increasing spending efficiency to enhance coverage and service quality.\"}]",1784469386,204,{"code":4,"msg":31,"data":32},"ok",{"site_id":25,"language":24,"slug":33,"title":13,"keywords":34,"description":14,"schema_data":35,"social_meta":90,"head_meta":92,"extra_data":94,"updated_unix":28},"serbia-human-capital-review-building-human-capital-for-long-term-prosperity","",{"@graph":36,"@context":89},[37,53,68],{"@type":38,"itemListElement":39},"BreadcrumbList",[40,44,48,50],{"item":41,"name":42,"@type":43,"position":21},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",{"item":45,"name":46,"@type":43,"position":47},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/","Document",2,{"item":49,"name":12,"@type":43,"position":20},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/research-report/",{"item":51,"name":13,"@type":43,"position":52},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/serbia-human-capital-review-building-human-capital-for-long-term-prosperity/108189/",4,{"url":51,"name":13,"@type":54,"author":55,"headline":13,"publisher":57,"fileFormat":60,"inLanguage":24,"description":14,"dateModified":61,"datePublished":62,"encodingFormat":60,"isAccessibleForFree":63,"interactionStatistic":64},"DigitalDocument",{"name":9,"@type":56},"Person",{"url":41,"name":58,"@type":59},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-07-29","2026-07-19",true,{"@type":65,"interactionType":66,"userInteractionCount":20},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":67},"ViewAction",{"@type":69,"mainEntity":70},"FAQPage",[71,77,81,85],{"name":72,"@type":73,"acceptedAnswer":74},"What major challenges does the review identify for Serbia’s long-term prosperity?","Question",{"text":75,"@type":76},"The review highlights rapid ageing, low productivity, and enduring inequalities that are affecting living standards. It also notes low progress on human capital worsening underlying challenges.","Answer",{"name":78,"@type":73,"acceptedAnswer":79},"How does the report evaluate human capital across the life course?",{"text":80,"@type":76},"It examines foundations in childhood and youth, adult life, and old age. It also discusses how human capital relates to the COVID-19 pandemic.",{"name":82,"@type":73,"acceptedAnswer":83},"What do the findings say about public spending and service delivery?",{"text":84,"@type":76},"Public spending on human development is declining. The review reports inequitable coverage and quality of education, health, and social protection service delivery, with ongoing gaps across groups.",{"name":86,"@type":73,"acceptedAnswer":87},"What actions does the report recommend to improve outcomes?",{"text":88,"@type":76},"The report calls for adapting to changing demographics, closing equity gaps, protecting human development spending for sustainability, and increasing spending efficiency to enhance coverage and service quality.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":51,"og:type":91,"og:title":13,"og:site_name":58,"og:description":14},"article",{"robots":93,"canonical":51},"index,follow",{"doc_id":7,"site_id":25},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":96},[97,101,105,109,114,119,124,127,132,135,139],{"id":21,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":46,"category_name":98,"show_sort_weight":99,"slug":100},"Story & Novel",90,"story-novel",{"id":47,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":46,"category_name":102,"show_sort_weight":103,"slug":104},"Literature",80,"literature",{"id":52,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":46,"category_name":106,"show_sort_weight":107,"slug":108},"Exam",70,"exam",{"id":110,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":46,"category_name":111,"show_sort_weight":112,"slug":113},5,"Comic",60,"comic",{"id":115,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":46,"category_name":116,"show_sort_weight":117,"slug":118},6,"Technology",50,"technology",{"id":120,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":46,"category_name":121,"show_sort_weight":122,"slug":123},7,"Healthcare",40,"healthcare",{"id":11,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":46,"category_name":12,"show_sort_weight":125,"slug":126},30,"research-report",{"id":128,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":46,"category_name":129,"show_sort_weight":130,"slug":131},9,"Religion & Spirituality",20,"religion-spirituality",{"id":130,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":46,"category_name":133,"show_sort_weight":130,"slug":134},"World Cup","world-cup",{"id":136,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":46,"category_name":137,"show_sort_weight":136,"slug":138},10,"Lifestyle","lifestyle",{"id":140,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":46,"category_name":141,"show_sort_weight":110,"slug":142},19,"General","general"]