The World Bank has issued a powerful call for a fundamental redesign of government-run public works programmes worldwide. In a new report, the global lender argues that traditional schemes offering temporary, low-skilled labour are no longer sufficient to tackle modern unemployment and widening skills gaps.
From Short-Term Relief to Long-Term Skills
Released on 15 January 2026, the report titled "Innovations in Public Works: Rethinking Public Works for Jobs and Skills in a Changing World" states that while these programmes provide crucial social protection and income for vulnerable groups, they often fail to deliver lasting economic benefits or a pathway to stable employment.
The World Bank insists that demographic shifts, rapid technological change, and escalating climate risks are dramatically reshaping labour markets. Therefore, public works must be reimagined. They should not only offer immediate income but also equip participants with skills relevant to the economy's fastest-growing sectors.
The Three Pillars of a New Generation of Public Works
The report highlights a promising new wave of programmes focusing on three critical areas: care services, digital work, and green jobs.
Care-Providing Public Works: Instead of physical construction, participants deliver essential services like childcare, elder care, and home-based support. In Burkina Faso and Rwanda, linking childcare to public works has enabled more women to enter paid work while gaining professional caregiving skills. South Africa uses similar models to support the elderly and people living with HIV/AIDS, simultaneously creating paid care jobs.
Digital Public Works: Here, participants help create digital public assets such as maps, datasets, and digitised records. Examples include young people in Kenya using smartphones to map buildings for urban planning, and participants in Mali and Tanzania tracing infrastructure via satellite imagery. In Sierra Leone, youth in flood-prone areas are digitising flood risk data to aid disaster response. These tasks build practical digital skills and are often accessible remotely, benefiting women and youth.
Green Public Works: This pillar merges job creation with environmental protection and climate resilience. Cited projects include land restoration and water management in India, coastal protection in Fiji, and flood-control efforts in Malawi. Such programmes help communities adapt to climate change while providing income and skills in agriculture, environmental management, and conservation.
A Blueprint for Inclusive and Cost-Effective Policy
The World Bank, through authors including Christian Bodewig, Practice Manager for Social Protection and Labour, and Michael Weber, Senior Economist at the Human Capital Project, argues that these innovative approaches demonstrate public works can be more adaptive, inclusive, and cost-effective.
By prioritising skills development and long-term employability, these revamped programmes can specifically support women, youth, and people in fragile or conflict-affected areas. They also contribute to broader goals like climate resilience, digital transformation, and human capital development.
The Bank's conclusion is clear: countries that invest in these forward-looking programmes will unlock greater value from public spending. They can protect vulnerable populations today while actively preparing a workforce ready for the jobs of tomorrow.
