The purpose of this report is to gain an understanding of the regulatory environment for auditors in a jurisdiction and the extent of quality assurance and oversight that takes place. In the Report on the Observance of Standards and Codes (ROSC) Accounting and Auditing (A&A) diagnostic...

This policy brief highlights the key messages for policy makers from the World Bank report "Seeing the Invisible: A Strategic Report on Groundwater Quality" (Ravenscroft and Lytton 2022a). This report and “A Practical Manual on Groundwater Quality Monitoring" (Ravenscroft and Lytton 2022b)...

The study sought to assist governments in introducing school-focused programming into reforms of primary education. The included: (i) an assessment of how well 26 World Bank-assisted project designs for primary education met criteria for educational effectiveness; (ii) the preparation of a...

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) has become an established part of the global landscape, with companies throughout the world abiding by the United Nations global compact and many governments starting CSR initiatives. Michel Doucin explains the history behind the phenomenon, identifying the...

This Note identifies four main theoretical options for securities markets self-regulation in India, based on precedents from international markets. There is no single 'right' approach - the note outlines three options that employ Self Regulatory Organizations (SROs), which could be viable...

This ROSC analyzes accounting, financial reporting and auditing practices within the corporate sector in Nicaragua, using International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) and International Standards on Auditing (ISA) as benchmarks, and drawing on international experience and good practice in...

This report aims to support regional collaboration and renewed collective efforts to strengthen financial management and oversight practices in South Asia. It compares the public sector accounting and auditing practices in eight South Asian countries to international standards. It is intended to...

This Report on the Observance of Standards and Codes for Accounting and Auditing (ROSC A&A) is a part of the World Bank (WB) and International Monetary Fund (IMF) joint initiative to review countries use of 12 internationally recognized standards/codes related to economic stability and private...

Bhutan has registered rapid economic growth in the recent past. But the private sector's contribution to this growth has not been significant. Recognizing that the private sector can play an important role as an engine of growth, the Royal Government of Bhutan (RGoB) mapped out strategies to...

This report is based on a review of the strengths and weaknesses of corporate accounting and auditing practices in Afghanistan. It forms part of a joint initiative between the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Reports on the Observance of Standards and Codes (ROSC), which...