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In a man’s world, where women are only secondary to men, can progress be achieved by putting its women first? Does educating the girl child, investing in her health, promoting her interests, and empowering her to think and act morally and ethically result in greater progress than doing all of these to its boys while ignoring the girls? Is there a profound link between the progress of women and the progress of their nation? It turns out that in all of these questions the only answer is an emphatic ‘yes.’
This is primarily because when a woman, left to otherwise stagnate, is lifted up, she is able to reach the highest level of her womanhood. She becomes a complete person and an embodiment of virtues. She is then on par with any man, and something more. She can therefore impress upon and wield greater influence on the man whose path she crosses.
Besides, to win her friendship, the man now has to get to a higher level of moral and ethical standards. In the process he is ennobled himself, causing a rippling effect to others in his circle of influence.
Archbishop Fulton Sheen summarised this theory thus: “The level of any civilization is the level of its womanhood, because when a man loves a woman, he has to be worthy of her.
The higher she is, in virtue, nobility of character, truth, justice and goodness, the more man has to aspire to be worthy of her. The history of civilisation could actually be written in terms of the level of womanhood. If a man loves something that is above him then he becomes ennobled.”
The level of womanhood is thus a strong indicator of the level of a nation.
Progressed and progressive nations bear testimony to this truth. These nations have consciously invested in their women leaving behind
the traditional bias that they are the weaker sex.
The same sentiments were echoed by President, Droupadi Murmu, recently on the occasion of International Women’s Day (March 8) as she said, “A nation goes only as far as its women go.” Having just celebrated International Women’s Day, it is a reminder that the world - and the human race - can move forward only when its women do.