Brings together perspectives on issues related to child and maternal health from a variety of different angles. While diseases such as HIV/AIDS, malaria and others continue to threaten the lives of women and children in sub-Saharan Africa, there is more to combating these epidemics than eradicating the vectors responsible for them. Social factors also play a major role in bringing awareness, legislation and funding to bear on issues that affect the health of women and children. Endangered Bodies discusses social and legal issues such as women's abortion rights and practices in Africa; the rights of HIV-infected children and AIDS orphans; and the prevalence of violence against women with its associated health risks. Overall, it portrays the precarious circumstances under which women and children must battle for equal access and treatment in inhospitable environs.