Virtual Dialogue: Strengthening political momentum for breast cancer - leveraging new tools and data for advocacy

Five years after the launch of the WHO Global Breast Cancer Initiative (GBCI), breast cancer remains the most commonly diagnosed cancer among women worldwide and a leading cause of premature mortality. Despite heightened global attention, the burden continues to rise: incidence is projected to exceed three million new cases annually by 2040, placing additional pressure on health systems already constrained by limited resources.

While the GBCI has helped establish a technical framework for action, progress remains uneven. Many countries still lack costed, funded, and actionable national breast cancer plans. Essential components of breast cancer control - early detection pathways, imaging and pathology capacity, timely diagnosis, multidisciplinary treatment, and robust cancer registries - are insufficient or inaccessible in numerous low‑ and middle‑income settings. As a result, implementation gaps persist, underscoring the urgent need for stronger political commitment, sustained financing, and practical support to translate GBCI guidance into country‑level impact.

At the same time, political momentum around breast cancer is rising. Breast cancer was explicitly recognised in the UN High‑Level Political Declaration on NCDs, signalling stronger global commitment. The recent Cairo Call to Action - endorsed by countries across the Eastern Mediterranean Region - has further accelerated political engagement by committing governments to enhanced leadership, financing and health‑system improvements to advance GBCI implementation.

In parallel, new tools and evidence have been released, including the UICC Breast Cancer Policy Brief, the Breast Cancer Care Quality Index (BCCQI), and the ABC Decade Report 2025–2035, providing advocates and policymakers with concrete resources to sustain and expand this momentum. These tools offer practical entry points for strengthening national advocacy, informing policy dialogue, and ensuring breast cancer remains firmly anchored on global and national agendas.

To mark the five‑year milestone of the GBCI, this Virtual Dialogue will bring together global experts, national programme managers, advocates and technical partners to build a shared understanding of how emerging data, new tools and rising political opportunities can be leveraged to advance equitable breast cancer control worldwide.