Human Capital

The social capital inherent in the population is a major pillar of any society and Iceland aims to work towards strengthening that pillar by way of two focus areas, namely education and health. Five of the eight Millennium Development Goals relate to education and health. Reports on the MDGs show that progress towards the goals has been uneven.

Education
Increased education, improved health and gender equality broaden the opportunities for local people to participate in creating wealth and welfare for their communities and thereby promote increased economic growth and social progress. Positive results been achieved e.g. in increasing children's education and infant mortality. In spite of great progress in children's education, there is still room for improvement. The drop-out rate for primary school students remains high, and the same  goes for adult illiteracy. Education will therefore also remain a key component of Iceland's development  cooperation. The emphasis will be on children's education and adult training, in addition to building up professional expertise in the focus areas.

Health
Weak health service and health care remain among the principal problems in LDCs and there is a need for greater improvements in the field of maternal health. Every year, more than half a million women and girls die as a result of pregnancy or childbirth. Due to the severity of these problems, health will remain an important part of Iceland's development cooperation. Basic services, hygiene and improved maternal and infant care will be the focus areas.