Publications

Dec 14, 2020

Gender and Microfinance in Myanmar

The report, Gender and Microfinance in Myanmar: The Business Case for Action was produced jointly by IFC's Gender and Economic Inclusion Group and Financial Institutions Group. It contains findings from a survey of over 1,600 employees from eight leading microfinance institutions in Myanmar, as well as interviews with over 450 women microfinance clients.

Nov 4, 2020

Vanua Levu Tourism Market Demand Assessment

Tourism is one of the most important drivers of growth for Pacific Island Countries, playing a particularly crucial role in the Fijian economy. Vanua Levu, Fiji’s second largest island, could form a significant part of the nation’s COVID-19 tourism recovery efforts through targeted investments to attract high-value markets, potentially increasing national tourism earnings by FJD 339 million in 2020 above government forecasted estimates. The Vanua Levu Tourism Market Demand Assessment provides critical information for the World Bank Group and the Fijian Government to design a project that will support the island’s future growth and recovery from the impacts of COVID-19. The report identifies key investments necessary to attract the niche markets of scuba diving; soft adventure and nature-based tourism; yachting; weddings and honeymoon tourism; and expedition cruises.

Oct 23, 2020

In Partnership: Australia, New Zealand and IFC

IFC working in partnership with the governments of Australia and New Zealand is helping Pacific Island nations tackle their unique development challenges.

Aug 25, 2020

Tackling Childcare:The Business Case for Employer-Supported Childcare in Vietnam

Employers in Vietnam, especially those in high-growth sectors like export-oriented manufacturing and banking, are looking for ways to attract and retain works as the labor market tightens. This study explores how forward-looking employers tackle the challenge by investing in childcare support for their employees.

Jul 30, 2020

Tackling Childcare: Employer-Supported Childcare in Cambodia

This study, based on surveys of employers and childcare providers in Cambodia analyzes key drivers of, and gaps in, employer-supported childcare. It identifies a suite of available childcare options and models provided by employers. The report also assesses the accessibility, availability, quality, and affordability of private childcare in Cambodia, and presents a business case for investing in it.

Jul 15, 2020

Fiji COVID-19 Business Survey: Tourism Focus

This report contains the findings of a business survey conducted with over 3,500 businesses by IFC and the Fijian Ministry of Commerce, Trade, Tourism and Transportation. The survey sought to identify the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on Fijian businesses, understand how businesses are modifying their operations to adapt to new market realities, identify resources that businesses have accessed to minimize impact, and determine what additional resources and support businesses might require.

Jun 1, 2020

Creating Markets in Myanmar: Country Private Sector Diagnostic

This Country Private Sector Diagnostic (CPSD) identifies and analyzes key binding constraints to private sector development in Myanmar and proposes short- to medium-term policy measures to tackle the structural constraints that limit private sector–led recovery and sustainable development.

English | 104 pages | 2020 IFC

May 28, 2020

COVID-19 Economic Impact: East Asia and the Pacific

The COVID-19 pandemic is expected to trigger a severe economic contraction in East Asia and the Pacific. IFC is working with existing clients in the region to evaluate where our support is needed most.

English | 3 pages | 2020 IFC

Mar 31, 2020

Creating Markets in the Philippines: Country Private Sector Diagnostic

Maintaining the Philippines’ strong economic growth and unlocking private sector markets to create better jobs will require improving competition in key economic sectors, reducing infrastructure gaps, and delivering on key reforms that ensure greater competition and better service provision. This is according to the Philippines Country Private Sector Diagnostic, which identifies the key cross-cutting and sector-specific policy constraints that hinder the expansion of market opportunities, private sector investment, and the creation of better-quality jobs and outlines the needed reforms over the next three to five years.

English | 62 pages | 2020 IFC

Mar 15, 2020

The Mediator Handbook

This Handbook was originally developed as part of the essential preparation for a 5-day intensive Mediator Skills Training (MST) course provided to World Bank Group clients under specific WBG projects in the Middle East and North Africa, Southeast Europe, and East Asia and the Pacific regions. It is intended to support the learning that takes place during the course through the practice and feedback, and to be a useful reminder for those with some experience.

Nov 26, 2019

Tackling Childcare: The Business Case for Employer-Supported Childcare in Myanmar

The report, Tackling Childcare: The Business Case for Employer-Supported Childcare in Myanmar, was produced by IFC’s Gender Business Group. It contains the findings of the Tackling Childcare Study which found that when companies support their employees to balance their childcare responsibilities with their work obligations, there are many benefits. The findings are intended to provide recommendations for Myanmar businesses on how to better support the needs of working parents and to realize the business benefits of employer-supported childcare.

Nov 3, 2019

Waka Mere Commitment to Action

More than 6,500 employees working for the biggest companies in Solomon Islands are now benefiting from more equal, supportive and respectful workplaces, with a marked rise in the numbers who feel safe at work, in the wake of a two- year initiative on gender equality. This findings are contained in a report assessing the Waka Mere Commitment to Action, which showed the number of employees who did not feel comfortable or safe at work fell from 25 percent two years ago to just 10 percent.

Nov 3, 2019

Assessment of the Economic Impact of Cruise Tourism in Fiji

As all Fijians know, tourism is a key driver of economic growth and for job creation. In fact, more than one third of all jobs in Fiji in 2018 stemmed from the country’s tourist industry. The report has identified seven investment opportunities that if pursued would lead to an extra US$43.98 million to the Fijian economy over the next 10 years. These recommendations offer a way for the private sector, government and donor partners to make evidenced-based decisions about where and how to invest in tourism, to the benefit of Fijians.

Oct 29, 2019

Creating Markets in Indonesia: Country Private Sector Diagnostic

The Indonesia CPSD evaluates cross-cutting challenges that inhibit private-sector development, and it proposes recommendations designed to address both these issues and sector-specific constraints in the key areas of financial technology, educational technology, and health services. It will also support the World Bank Group’s cascade approach to catalyzing private-sector-led growth and sustainable development.

English | 71 pages | 2019 IFC

Oct 4, 2019

Shaping the Future of Adventure and Cultural Travel

In today’s hypercompetitive market for international travelers, a holistic and nuanced understanding of which travelers best align with destination travel offerings is necessary. A full picture of the traveler – going beyond simple identifiers such as age, income and gender – is needed in order to shape travel products and to frame and direct marketing messages precisely. With this in mind, IFC partnered with the Adventure Travel Trade Association on an in-depth study of adventure and cultural travelers originating in the United States of American and Australia. The countries represent two key outbound markets for international travel in general, and for the islands of the Pacific. IFC has a portfolio of tourism projects in the Pacific that support growth in high value tourism markets. In 2019, this includes Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, and Solomon Islands.

Sep 30, 2019

Review of Port Tariff Structure and Levels in Indonesia

In recent analytical work by the World Bank Group, port tariff setting mechanisms appeared as key bottlenecks to port development in Indonesia. Due to the lack of analytical work on port tariff governance in Indonesia, the World Bank Group commissioned a dedicated study to explore this subject and provide preliminary recommendations to the Indonesian government to improve of the key tools to promote investments in ports. This review benchmarked various types of port tariffs in Indonesia against international experience. The analysis suggests that binding constraints are present in the tariff ceilings and adjustment mechanism, as well as in port institutions. The tariff review is one of the most comprehensive to date and comprises ships services, cargo and passenger service for commercial and non-commercial ports in Indonesia.

Aug 22, 2019

Exploring the Opportunities for Women-owned SMEs in Cambodia

Cambodia Market Study

English | 2019 IFC

Aug 12, 2019

Judicial Manual on Arbitration and Mediation

provide reference information for Judges and to ensure consistency in the application of the law to resolve requests for recognition and enforcement of foreign arbitral awards, for setting aside arbitral awards, for the support of arbitration operations, and for recognition of mediated settlement agreements, etc. when applying new regulations in the Civil Procedural Code 2015.

Aug 6, 2019

Going the Distance: Off-Grid Lighting Market Dynamics in Papua New Guinea

The report’s findings reveal a dynamic market. It’s evident in the numbers – the market for lighting solutions in PNG is estimated at $259 million a year and is expected to grow over the next five years. The report’s focus on the demand and supply sides will help companies understand market potential, in-country challenges, and the opportunities for growth.

Jul 29, 2019

The Business Case for Workplace Responses to Domestic and Sexual Violence in Fiji

This study, which identifies the impacts of domestic and sexual violence on Fijian employees and employers, has been conducted to inform the development of tailored solutions for the business community in Fiji.

May 28, 2019

Tackling Childcare: The Business Case for Employer Supported Childcare in Fiji

This study demonstrates the need and appetite for affordable, accessible and quality childcare services among working parents in Fiji. The study finds that each year, businesses and the public sector in Fiji are losing an average of 12.7 workdays per employee due to the responsibilities of working parents. Absenteeism, lateness, low productivity, distraction, exhaustion and stress – this is the struggle of juggling work and being a parent in a country where childcare options for children aged zero to five are limited, unregulated and inaccessible to most of the population.

May 22, 2019

Papua New Guinea: New World Bank Group Strategy Focuses on Delivering Economic Growth, Improved Services for Most Marginalized People

Helping to manage risks to Papua New Guinea’s economic growth and ensuring more services for people currently missing out are key elements of the World Bank Group’s new 2019-2023 Country Partnership Framework (CPF) for Papua New Guinea, now endorsed by the Board of Executive Directors. The new five year strategy lays out the challenges and opportunities as well as three main focus areas for work by the World Bank Group’s member organizations, including the World Bank, the International Finance Corporation (IFC) which focuses on the private sector in developing countries; and the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA), which offers political risk insurance and credit enhancement guarantees. Encouraging more private sector growth is a fundamental focus area to help Papua New Guinea meet its development challenges, create jobs and diversify the economy.

Apr 4, 2019

Myanmar Corporate Governance Scorecard 2018: A Report on the Assessment of Myanmar Companies

The Myanmar Corporate Governance Scorecard 2018 assesses the performance of 24 companies in Myanmar on the basis of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Corporate Governance Scorecard. The report is the joint work of IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, the Securities and Exchange Commission of Myanmar, the Yangon Stock Exchange and the Directorate of Company Investment and Company Administration (DICA).

Mar 26, 2019

The Impact of Domestic and Sexual Violence on the Workplace in Solomon Islands

More than 1,200 people, a third of all employees, from nine Waka Mere companies, participated in the survey on “How problems at home affect employees at work.” The survey findings will inform ongoing development of appropriate workplace responses and provide an early benchmark to measure changes in the ways in which staff are supported. .

Mar 11, 2019

Respectful Workplaces: Exploring the Costs of Bullying and Sexual Harassment to Businesses in Myanmar

The report offers business leaders an opportunity to understand the experiences of employees relating to bullying and sexual harassment in Myanmar workplaces. It provides a set of practical recommendations, targeting business leaders, human resource managers, employees and other interested parties to create workplaces that are safe and free from bullying and sexual harassment.