Why nations that fail women fail
Protect, support, and love women—unconditionally. It should be common sense, but somehow, it still isn’t.
Let them lead. They are the quiet heroes of true progress.
If my only purpose in life is to support the success of women, then I’m proud to exist for that reason alone.
For too long, they’ve been historically oppressed. And even now, they’re still being used. It’s unbearable.
As men, we can be disgusting. I can be. And I hate that about us. Why are we like this? Why do we feel the need to dominate, to act superior? So superior that the mere thought of women leading feels like a threat.
Let them lead.
When have they truly had the chance to? They deserve one.
Look where our leadership has taken us—into cycles of exploitation and destruction.
I may not know how to say it perfectly, but I know this: I love women. I care for them deeply. I believe they should lead more, speak more, own more.
So why don’t they?
Because we still don’t let them. The barriers just look different now.
If the only legacy I leave behind as a man is unwavering support for women, then I’ll die proud.
The gift of life itself comes through our goddesses—so let’s finally start treating them like the sacred beings they are.
And if my stance earns me anything—respect, criticism, praise—may it inspire others to walk the same path.
Evidence & Key Arguments
Bride‑price, expensive marriage, and instability
In many societies, the tradition of bride price means that for a man to marry, he must pay a family of the woman—often in cows, cash, property, or goods. When these become very expensive, poorer men are priced out of marriage. This can lead to:
Emotional stress, frustration, resentment among men who can’t fulfil this “requirement.”
Delayed marriages, increases in unmarried young men.
Domestic violence. When a bride‑price is paid, the woman (or her family) may feel ownership expectations; men may feel entitled. Studies in Nigeria among the Akwa‑Ibom people (Surlier, Lagos State) show high bride price correlates with higher rates of domestic violence and emotional problems. (medicopublication.com)
Further, there is research (e.g. “In Plain Sight: The Neglected Linkage between Brideprice and Violent Conflict”, MIT Press) that shows bride‑price systems can contribute to national instability, especially in places with:
High inflation / economic stagnation (because price of bride payment keeps rising).
Polygyny (one man with many wives) which concentrates women, leaving many men with fewer options, increasing frustrations.
Conflict over resources, recruitment of violent groups from disaffected youth, etc. (MIT Direct)
Gender equality and national stability / prosperity
Countries with more gender equality tend to have better governance, improved economic performance, lower conflict, better healthcare and education outcomes. Empowered women contribute to stability, innovation, and higher human capital.
Switzerland is a useful example:
It scores relatively high in many global gender equality indices (WEF, etc.). (SWI swissinfo.ch)
It has a strong legal framework for gender equality, though gaps remain (gender pay gap, underrepresentation in senior leadership, unpaid caregiving burdens falling disproportionately on women). (PwC)
Because of relatively strong gender equality (though imperfect), Switzerland enjoys higher levels of social stability, trust in institutions, and economic output. For example, improving women’s employment participation more fully is estimated to increase GDP. (SECO)
Nigeria demonstrates many of the opposite features:
Bride price practices are widespread and in many cases exorbitant. This causes late marriages, non‑marriages, domestic violence, emotional instability. (Journals)
Women are often excluded from decision‑making, access to healthcare, education, or career advancement, or are burdened with unpaid labor disproportionately.
These inequalities contribute to higher levels of violence, fewer opportunities for growth, brain drain, less cohesive institutions, all of which hinder national stability and progress.
How “when women fail, nations fail” works in causal terms
Based on literature, here are several pathways:
Human capital loss: If women are denied education, healthcare, or participation, half the population can't contribute fully. That reduces a country’s talent pool, innovation, productivity.
Reduced social cohesion: Gender inequality often correlates with high rates of domestic violence, marginalisation, and injustice. These generate distrust in institutions and among communities.
Economic inefficiency: Lower participation of women in workforce; gender pay gaps; women often undertake unpaid labor and caregiving; lack of supportive policies (childcare, parental leave) constrain both potential and growth. This reduces GDP and increases social welfare burdens.
Political instability: Frustration from excluded groups (women, youth) can feed into social unrest. Also governance suffers when women are excluded—they bring different perspectives, often more consensus‑driven, sometimes more transparent.
Intergenerational effects: How women are treated affects children’s education, health, norms. Societies that respect women tend to invest more in child health, schooling, lowering infant mortality, etc. These in turn promote long‑term stability.
Polished Articulation (with these ideas included)
Here’s a more polished version of what you were trying to say, now including the points above:
When Women Fail, Nations Fail
A nation cannot rise when half its people are silenced, exploited, or undervalued. When women are held back—by tradition, by law, by culture—nations suffer. All the promises of progress, justice, and prosperity fall short.
Take the system of bride‑price, for example. In many societies, young men must pay cows, goods, or money to marry. When the demands become excessive, the poor are shut out. Men become frustrated, resentful; women become commodities in a transaction. Studies in Nigeria show that high bride‑price correlates with domestic violence, emotional distress, instability in marriages. (medicopublication.com)
When large numbers of men cannot marry because the cost is too high, social imbalance grows. Disappointment, anger, a sense of marginalisation: these are seeds for unrest. Violent groups exploit that bitterness. Researchers have shown that bride‑price systems—especially when economic opportunities are scarce—contribute to conflicts and instability. (MIT Direct)
Contrast that with countries like Switzerland, which has worked (though still imperfectly) to reduce gender gaps. Women there have more legal protections; better participation in politics and business; stronger social safety nets for care work. It’s not just fairer—it strengthens Switzerland’s social fabric. Gender equality is tied to stability, economic growth, trust in institutions. (World Economic Forum)
In contrast, in places where women are locked out of education, forced into unequal marriages, seen as property rather than partners, the consequences ripple outward: higher domestic violence, poorer health, weak political representation, and less resilience to crises. If women are not supported, nations cannot be strong.
