Step into the heart of Accra (Ghana) and discover the untold story of how global macroeconomic policies crafted in the North affect not only women’s livelihoods but also their cultural and historical leadership role in one of Ghana’s busiest marketplaces. The “Women’s Market” is a powerful film that delves into the lives of women traders in the Dome Market as they navigate the complexities of economic hardship and public-private partnerships (PPPs).

Follow the transformation of the market, once a decentralised space of individual traders, into a battleground for economic justice. As the Ghanaian government implements a PPP initiative to modernise the market, promises of progress quickly give way to disillusionment as local traders are left struggling and unable to afford the new infrastructure. As the PPP unfolds, it becomes clear that women, the backbone of the local commerce, bear the brunt of its negative impacts. Displacement, rising costs, and unequal access to resources threaten their livelihoods and fracture the fabric of the market community. But the women of Dome Market refuse to be silenced.

Through protests, political engagement, and unwavering determination, they demand justice and fair treatment. The film highlights the vital role of women in the market’s economy and their fight for economic autonomy in the face of adversity. It also deepens the understanding about the drivers and dynamics of PPPs , examining how Ghana’s journey from a state-centric model to embracing collaboration with international financial institutions, including the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, paved the way for the integration of PPPs into its development agenda.

Based on the groundbreaking research of feminist scholars Gertrude Dzifa Torvikey and Sylvia Ohene Marfo, “The Women’s Market” is part of DAWN’s multimedia project, “Old Dog, New Tricks: Neocolonialism & Public-Private Partnerships in the Global South.”