This Op-Ed was published in collaboration between the Journal of International Service and American University’s School of International Service chapter of Women, Peace, and Security to highlight a selection of writing and research on women’s issues in international affairs.
By Asena Johnson
Each year women and girls in countries across the Middle East and Africa fall victim to the implications of rising bride price, and face the risk of exploitation into unwanted marriages by extremist groups.[i] Traditionally known as a dowry, bride price is a cultural practice in which the groom provides a monetary sum to the bride and her family.[ii] This practice is prevalent in regions where seventy-five percent of the world’s population resides. The recent surge in bride price carries significant implications for international security and emphasizes the interrelation of women’s rights and state security. Recognizing that radicalization persists due to the economic decline of countries within the Middle East and Africa shifts responsibility from the individual to the government. States must recognize that the security of women and gender-based violence directly impact the levels of peace and stability within a region.[iii] The United Nations (UN) and its member states have an obligation to alleviate the socio-economic injustices surrounding bride price inflation. According to World Bank data, lack of economic marginalization is a driving factor that contributes to individuals joining radicalized groups, suggesting that funding economic and social policies would help prevent extremism.[iv] Implementing government funded economic policy solutions to lower bride price will have a domino effect in alleviating security concerns surrounding growing extremism. This approach not only enhances the well-being and safety of women and girls in the region but also contributes to regional peace and security.
Marriage is held in high regard by young men throughout the global south because it is perceived as a marker of social status. In patrilineal societies, a man’s social status is directly linked to marriage, and when marriage includes bride price, it becomes an economic transaction between the potential groom and the bride’s family.[v] Bride price can be paid to the bride’s family in assets such as cash, cattle, gold, or other valued goods.[vi] Societal pressure to marry paired with harsh economic conditions has created a growing population of disgruntled men and a hostile environment for women and girls. Research has shown that violence against women is a strong indicator of whether a society is generally prone to violent conflict.[vii] However, recognizing the links between gendered violence and the broader security of the state is the first step towards implementing sustainable solutions to peace in the regions where the practice of bride price is prevalent.
Poverty, unemployment, and lack of opportunities for young men in countries like Sudan and Afghanistan have resulted in an increased number of men turning to terrorist organizations to secure the financial means to marry.[viii] Extremist groups such as the Taliban and Boko Haram have recognized the number of young men who are unable to find viable employment, and in turn are unable to afford to marry.[ix] These groups have resorted to kidnapping young girls and offering them to potential recruits, creating an enticing sign-up bonus for young men desperate for work and the social status that comes with marriage.[x] In addition, terrorist groups have offered to pay for bride prices and have funded weddings to secure new recruits.[xi] As recently as March of 2024, 200 women and children were abducted from their school in the northwest region of Nigeria, where raids by radical groups are common.[xii] Amnesty International has reported that Boko Haram had abducted over 2,000 women since 2015 to take as “wives” for their members.[xiii] Due to this phenomenon, Boko Haram has gained a following of 3,000 to 5,000 men.[xiv] Many of the abducted women face physical and sexual violence at the hands of their captors, and consequently, the possibility of the abduction of women and girls has put rural communities vulnerable to attack by extremist groups on edge.[xv]
Good governance is essential to mitigating societal challenges that transcend into broader security concerns. States tend to dismiss social issues like bride price inflation, but the government of Saudi Arabia has demonstrated a promising step in reducing bride price. Engaging with local leaders and civil society, the Saudi Arabian government worked to implement a price ceiling on bride price, limiting the payment at SR50,000 – a decision that was met with positive widespread media coverage.[xvi] The success of these measures prove that the continued systematic violence against women and girls perpetuated through bride price can be prevented. Countries are proven to be more peaceful when women are accorded equal rights and opportunities, proving that working to end the harmful implications of bride price inflation will only contribute to enhancing peace and security of the region.[xvii]
[i] Hudson, Valerie M., and Hilary Matfess. “In Plain Sight: The Neglected Linkage between Brideprice and Violent Conflict.” International Security 42, no. 1 (2017): 7–40. https://doi.org/10.1162/isec_a_00289.
[ii] Nyyssölä, Milla. “Unu-Wider : Blog : Bride Price or Dowry?” UNU WIDER, June 13, 2017. https://www.wider.unu.edu/publication/bride-price-or-dowry.
[iii] Crespo-Sancho, Catalina. “Can Gender Equality Prevent Violent Conflict?” World Bank Blogs, 2018. https://blogs.worldbank.org/en/dev4peace/can-gender-equality-prevent-violent-conflict.
[iv] Shanta Devarajan, Lili Mottaghi, Quy-Toan Do, Anne Brockmeyer, Clément Joubert, Kartika Bhatia, Mohamed Abdel Jelil. 2016. “Economic and Social Inclusion to Prevent Violent Extremism.” Middle East and North Africa Economic Monitor (October), World Bank, Washington, DC. doi: 10.1596/ 978-1- 4648-0990-3. License: Creative Commons Attribution CC BY 3.0 IGO
[v] Hudson, Valerie M., and Hilary Matfess. “In Plain Sight: The Neglected Linkage between Brideprice and Violent Conflict.” International Security 42, no. 1 (2017): 7–40. https://doi.org/10.1162/isec_a_00289.
[vi] Ibid. 3,
[vii] Graham, Thomas Jr.; Caprioli, Mary; Hudson, Valerie M.; McDermott, Rose; Emmett, Chad; Ballif-Spanvill, Bonnie; Reynolds, Glenn Harlan; Scheb, John M. II; Young, Sarah; Barnett, Thomas P.M.; Hunter, Melissa C.; and Sutterfield, Lauren E., “Baker Center Journal of Applied Public Policy, Vol. I No. I” (2007). Baker Center: Publications and Other Works. https://trace.tennessee.edu/utk_bakecentpubs/2
[viii] Hudson, Valerie M., and Hilary Matfess. “In Plain Sight: The Neglected Linkage between Brideprice and Violent Conflict.” International Security 42, no. 1 (2017): 7–40. https://doi.org/10.1162/isec_a_00289.
[ix] Ibid.,
[x] Hudson, Valerie M., and Hilary Matfess. “In Plain Sight: The Neglected Linkage between Brideprice and Violent Conflict.” International Security 42, no. 1 (2017): 7–40. https://doi.org/10.1162/isec_a_00289.
[xi] Ibid.,
[xii] Hundreds of women and children kidnapped in Nigeria, possibly by Boko Haram – The Washington Post. Accessed April 27, 2024. https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/03/08/nigeria-kidnap-students-boko-haram/.
[xiii] Hudson, Valerie M., and Hilary Matfess. “In Plain Sight: The Neglected Linkage between Brideprice and Violent Conflict.” International Security 42, no. 1 (2017): 7–40. https://doi.org/10.1162/isec_a_00289.
[xiv] Ibid.,
[xv] Chason, Rachel. “Nigeria reels from two mass kidnappings, mainly of women and children” The Washington Post, 2024. https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/03/08/nigeria-kidnap-students-boko-haram/
[xvi] Hudson, Valerie M., and Hilary Matfess. “In Plain Sight: The Neglected Linkage between Brideprice and Violent Conflict.” International Security 42, no. 1 (2017): 7–40. https://doi.org/10.1162/isec_a_00289.
[xvii] Crespo-Sancho, Catalina. “Can Gender Equality Prevent Violent Conflict?” World Bank Blogs 2018. https://blogs.worldbank.org/en/dev4peace/can-gender-equality-prevent-violent-conflict.
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