The ability to move goods across borders rapidly, cheaply and above all, predictably, can be a make-or-break factor in the success of a business. In many countries, retail shipments of goods are held up in customs clearance processes, sometimes for days or even weeks. Trade facilitation reforms—such as automation, streamlining of procedures, and process-oriented improvements at the border—can make trade less expensive and faster. When trade is more efficient, countries can do more of it. This in turn helps drive economic growth and creates jobs. This seems simple enough. But trade facilitation efforts focus too often on the experience of large companies that trade in large quantities. The reality is that at many borders, smaller-scale firms conduct a significant share of total trade but are not always accurately represented in official statistics. Many of these smaller-scale trading firms are run by women who often face more severe impediments... — blog.wb.org/blogs