Cape Town — One in every 16 women living in sub-Saharan Africa will die as a result of pregnancy or childbirth, as against one in 4,000 in industrialized countries.
This is one of a number of conclusions in the new UNICEF report published today, "The State of the World's Children 2007."
Other revelations in the report:
- About 99 percent of maternal deaths occur in developing countries, over 90 percent of them in Africa and Asia;
- A survey of 24 sub-Saharan African countries reveals that two thirds or more of young women lack comprehensive knowledge of HIV transmission; and
- In parts of Africa and the Caribbean, young women aged 15 to 24 are up to six times more likely to be infected with HIV than young men their age, partly because gender discrimination denies women the negotiating power they need to reduce the risk of infection.
Eliminating gender gender discrimination and empowering women would have "a profound and positive impact" on the well-being of children, the report says.
Follow the links below to access the rich resources offered by the full report:
Empower women to help children [press release]
Short, quick fact sheets for Africa:
EASTERN AND SOUTHERN AFRICA [PDF]
MIDDLE EAST AND NORTHERN AFRICA [PDF]
Full coverage:
The State of the World's Children 2007 [Website]
The State of the World's Children 2007 [Full 160-page report, PDF]
