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Abstract

The paper examines regional variations in maternal mortality, infant mortality, and percentage infants with low birth weight in relation to economic development, gender equality, and women's rights by using data obtained from 137 developing countries (or areas). The 137 developing countries are divided into six regions: sub-Saharan Africa (N=45), Arab states (N=20), East Asia/Pacific (N=28), South Asia (N=9), Latin America/Caribbean (N=33), and Southern Europe (N=2). To examine regional variations, this paper is divided into four parts. The first part discusses regional variations in maternal mortality, infant mortality, and infants with low birth weight across and within regions. Part two focuses on cluster analysis to group countries (areas) with similar values on infant and maternal mortality and infants with low birth rates. Part three provides discussions on the tests of statistical significance in regional variations. The findings support the hypothesis that geographic locations are important for people's health, particularly the health of women and children, and that geographic variations in the health of women and children are directly affected by environmental and social-economic factors to enhance economic growth and to advance women's education, political participation, and financial independence. The women's rights hypothesis is not supported by the data. Perhaps human rights instruments and legislations provide a legal discourse for political functions, but the legal approach does not necessarily provide a moral and social foundation to ensure the health of women and children. Part four discusses the dilemma of the sub-Saharan Africa region with regard to the health of women and children and provides suggestions for policy considerations.

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