| Summary: | Gender equality and inclusion are central to the World Bank Group's twin goals of ending extreme poverty and boosting shared prosperity. Research has shown that the expansion of international trade is essential for poverty reduction, and it provides better job opportunities and increased returns particularly for women working in export-oriented sectors because exporting companies tend to offer more stable employment, higher wages, and better working conditions than the domestic, informal sector. To better understand the cross-border trade and trade facilitation environment in Brazil, especially whether there are gendered differences or disparities between those that identify as belonging to ethnic minority groups or having special needs, the World Bank Group undertook a study through telephone surveys of cross-border trade firms. Customs brokers were also surveyed given that a large majority of traders in Brazil hire customs brokers and/or other agents to facilitate import and export processes and procedures. The work related to this report was undertaken as part of a larger package of technical trade facilitation support to the government of Brazil. The overall objective of this work was to identify specific barriers, broken down by gender, that men and women-led companies and customs brokers face in the cross-border trade of merchandise goods. Where possible, the work high-lighted the experiences of ethnic minorities and people with disabilities. This report summarizes the main challenges that cross-border traders (at the firm level) and customs brokers are facing related to import and export processes and procedures in Brazil. This report also includes recommendations to address the challenges identified, primarily within the scope of the World Trade Organization's Trade Facilitation Agreement (WTO TFA)
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