The Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) has launched a new book titled African Women Entrepreneurs in the Informal Economy: Social Justice Implications of Market Jolts in Ghana, calling for stronger policies to protect women traders from economic shocks.
The book, edited by Professor Ezenwayi C. Amaechi Ejiribe, Dr. Sodzi Sodzi-Tettey and Professor Joseph Ofori-Dankwa, examines the challenges women entrepreneurs face in Ghana’s informal sector and proposes practical policy solutions.
Speaking at the launch in Accra, Professor Ezenwayi C. Amaechi Ejiribe gave an overview of the book and the research behind it. She said the publication was inspired by years of working directly with market women and understanding the realities of their daily lives.
Professor Amaechi Ejiribe, who works with MESENow, a micro-enterprise social entrepreneurship organisation that supports small businesses and women entrepreneurs, said the research reflects the voices and experiences of market women.
She stressed that the book was not written only for academic purposes but also to influence policies that improve the lives of women working in Ghana’s informal economy.
Professor Joseph Ofori-Dankwa explained the concept of “market jolts,” describing them as sudden or persistent disruptions that threaten the livelihoods of traders. He grouped these disruptions into four categories: natural disasters such as floods and fires, unexpected crises like the COVID-19 pandemic, long-standing institutional challenges including harassment and unfair taxation, and emerging pressures such as foreign competition and the digital divide.
Presenting on Policy Recommendations for Change, co-editor Dr. Sodzi Sodzi-Tettey said the experiences of market women go beyond ordinary business challenges.
“A challenge is something you rise to on a good morning. What these women face is sudden, violent and disruptive. It knocks the wind out of a livelihood in hours. It is more honest to call it what it is – a jolt,” he said.
Dr. Sodzi-Tettey recounted the story of a market woman during the COVID-19 pandemic who asked, “Where is online?” after learning that government support could only be accessed through an online application.
He said the question captured the exclusion many women face in accessing digital services and government interventions.
The book recommends increasing awareness and education, conducting better risk assessments, involving market women in policy decisions, expanding access to affordable loans and insurance, improving market infrastructure, reforming taxation, and strengthening accountability to protect traders from exploitation.
According to the editors, the publication aims to encourage governments, development partners and civil society organisations to adopt practical measures that promote social justice and strengthen the resilience of women entrepreneurs.
By Celestine Edem Gbologah//Newswatch
