Marking the first official Cervical Cancer Elimination Day of Action on 17 November

This year is the first time that 17 November will be marked officially as World Cervical Cancer Elimination Day, following the World Health Assembly resolution in May 2025. It has been unofficially leveraged in recent years to mark the launch of the Global Strategy to eliminate cervical cancer, which took place on this date in 2020.

WHO’s Global strategy to accelerate the elimination of cervical cancer is built around clear pillars of action, with associated targets to achieve by 2030 with the aim to put the world on track for elimination: vaccinate 90% of girls against HPV by age 15; screen 70% of women with a high-performance test by the age of 35, and again by the age of 45; and ensure that 90% of women with cervical cancer (pre-cancer and invasive cancer) receive appropriate treatment.

Achieving these goals depends on accelerated action across the health system, including reliable vaccine supply and delivery to adolescents, as well as convenient, respectful screening – including self-sampling where appropriate – and timely, quality-assured treatment and follow-up, supported by referral, pathology and oncology capacity, and reliable data systems.

With five years to go, recent analyses show encouraging though uneven progress. Australia, Sweden, Norway, and England are among countries in high-resource settings expected to reach elimination around 2030–2040. Their success is driven by high vaccination coverage combined with HPV-based screening and effective follow-up and treatment.

Several lower- and middle-income countries are also showing notable gains. Nigeria, which introduced the HPV vaccine in October last year, has already vaccinated 12.3 million girls. Rwanda has sustained very high HPV vaccination coverage (above 90% since 2011), is scaling screening and treatment, and has set a national goal to reach the 90-70-90 elimination targets three years ahead of schedule, by 2027. Bhutan reached the targets already last year, the first to do so in the South-East Asia region. These countries show that ambitious targets are feasible with political will.

Key gaps remain, however, and for those who have achieved the targets already, efforts must be sustained to achieve elimination. Many girls still have not received HPV protection for example: programmes are absent or patchy in some countries; funding and outreach are limited; services are hard to reach for those living far from clinics; and because of disruptions such as COVID-19, there is also a generation of adolescents and young women who were never offered it or missed their opportunity. WHO’s recommendation of a single-dose approach for HPV vaccination can help countries extend protection faster.

Screening also does not reach enough women in many contexts, particularly those newly eligible at the lower end of the recommended age range (around 35 years old), on low incomes or distant from services. Offering the option to collect a sample themselves, at home or in community settings, can increase participation, but only if results are returned promptly and the next steps are easy to navigate; after a positive test, too many face delays before treatment. Finally, in many countries there is a need to improve diagnostics, equipment, trained staff, and data to track who has been reached and where gaps persist.

How UICC and its members are contributing to global cervical cancer elimination

UICC has a long history in supporting progress in cervical cancer, and since the adoption of WHO’s Global Strategy, UICC has been working with its members to turn the global commitments into delivery.

In support of national advocates, in 2025, UICC released an update to its Cervical Cancer Advocacy handbook (in English, French, Spanish) to equip its members with messages and practical tools as they advocate for comprehensive cervical cancer prevention, screening and treatment services. Following interest from UICC members, UICC is also hoping to make this resource available in additional languages. Through UICC’s Cancer Advocates programme, UICC is also providing dedicated support to UICC member organisations to develop and implement their national advocacy strategies on cervical cancer, notably as part of the Elimination Partnership in the Indo-Pacific region on Cervical Cancer (EPICC). The latest cohort of the programme was recently announced.

To facilitate the exchange of knowledge and information, UICC Connect, UICC’s global online community platform specifically dedicated to its members, now also hosts a dedicated cervical cancer space and discussion group linked to this work. This allows participants from all regions to exchange experience, and practical solutions. The platform also offers opportunities to support targeted regional efforts: for example, MD Anderson Cancer Center, in collaboration with the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and the US National Cancer Institute (NCI) is hosting a discussion space focused on implementing the cervical cancer elimination strategy in Latin America, complementing their Project ECHO for the Elimination of Cervical Cancer in Latin America (ECHO-ELA).

In 2024 and 2025, UICC has awarded USD 200,000 to support UICC member organisations deliver specific projects to increase access and uptake of HPV vaccination, and a further USD 265,000 towards implementation research on HPV testing in conflict settings.

UICC member organisations focused on cervical cancer have also benefited from UICC’s wider learning and development opportunities, including training to strengthen their management practices, tailored support and mentoring for patient-led groups, and access to dedicated Fellowships and scholarships.

This week, UICC is organising a multi-sponsored session at the World Cancer Leaders’ Summit (WCLS) in Melbourne (18-20 November) on cervical cancer, supported by the Australian Centre for the Prevention of Cervical Cancer (ACPCC), MD Anderson, and EPICC. Discussions will highlight country-level progress, highlight further actionable strategies, and explore opportunities to address inequities in accessing services, not only between regions and resource settings, but also within countries and populations.

Alongside the WCLS, ACPCC will also be hosting an institutional visit, providing insights for participants on their work as a WHO accredited Performance Evaluation Laboratory for HPV testing. ACPCC are also organising the Eliminating Cervical Cancer Conference 2025 (ECC2025) that takes place on November 17. The event is virtual and open to all, and will provide a platform to share practical experience on raising HPV vaccination coverage, introducing HPV testing, and strengthening data and quality systems.

At the WCLS, UICC will also be bringing together organisations who have been supported this year on HPV vaccination, through grants or training opportunities, at a dedicated workshop. Participants will explore and share their learning and experience on approaches to increase coverage, address stigma, and raise awareness.

Read more about cervical cancer elimination.