HPV Awareness Day 2025 – Uniting for Prevention and Action

 

On 4 March, we mark International HPV Awareness Day, a precious opportunity to raise awareness about the human papillomavirus (HPV) and the steps we can take to prevent the different cancers it causes.

It is also a time to recognise the many efforts already begun by ECO’s HPV and Hep B Action Network. Here are just a few. 

• The EU4Health-funded PROTECT-EUROPE initiative came to a successful conclusion late last year, providing critical recommendations on expanding gender-neutral HPV vaccination. This project provided new, data-driven guidance on effective public health messaging and created new resources to improve vaccination rates. Downloadable materials, including leaflets, posters, and guidance documents, remain freely available for all here.

• Through our collective efforts, we have significantly enhanced collaboration across Croatia, Bulgaria, and Romania, strengthening national coalitions and forging new partnerships with key stakeholders in the fight against HPV.
• In January, ECO hosted a high-level regional conference at the Bulgarian Parliament, gathering policymakers, health experts, and civil society representatives from across South East Europe. The event provided a platform to share strategies, best practices, and policy recommendations to accelerate HPV elimination efforts in the region. Discussions focused on strengthening national vaccination programmes, expanding screening access, and addressing disparities in HPV prevention.

• In February, we joined the launch of the European Parliament’s new Intergroup on Cancer & Rare Diseases for the 2024-2029 legislature. Chaired by MEP Vlad Voiculescu, this cross-party effort ensures that cancer and rare diseases remain a top priority on the EU political agenda. It provides an essential platform for discussion, fosters cross-party consensus, and advocates for improved access to healthcare and research. This initiative underscores the EU’s growing commitment to addressing HPV-related cancers and enhancing cancer care across Europe.

ECO is also actively supporting our partner organisations in their outreach efforts, including: 

• The global campaign ‘Ask About HPV’ led by the International Papillomavirus Society (IPVS) under the theme #OneLessWorry. It encourages communities worldwide to learn the facts and promote HPV prevention and gender-neutral vaccination.

• Global Action on Men’s Health (GAMH) and NOMAN: Race to End HPV. It highlights the role males play in stopping the spread of HPV and why they must also be protected through gender-neutral vaccination – not only for their own health but to reduce all HPV cancers worldwide. Read GAMH’s report here.

How can you take part in HPV Awareness Day 2025? 

1. Learn the facts: HPV affects people of all genders, causing at least six types of cancer, including cervical, anal, penile, and head & neck cancers. Awareness is the first step in prevention.
2. Promote vaccination: The HPV vaccine has been proven time and again to be safe, effective, and an essential tool in preventing HPV-related cancers. Gender-neutral vaccination ensures protection for everyone.
3. Support screening programmes: Early detection saves lives. Regular cervical cancer screenings and HPV testing can help prevent late-stage disease.
4. Download and share ECO resources: Help disseminate our many different informational materials (especially from PROTECT-EUROPE) and engage with our social media content – and posts from our community. Help spread awareness far and wide.

 

Read below what our leadership and our community have to say about HPV Awareness Day:

‘There’s no simpler, more effective way to prevent cervical cancer and other HPV-related cancers than by getting HPV vaccination and undergoing regular screening. Yet, tragically, tens of thousands of people across Europe lose their lives to cervical cancer and other HPV-related cancers each year. HPV Awareness Day is a vital call to action. Let’s start the conversation - talk to your friends and family about ways of preventing HPV diseases. With so much at stake, we can’t afford to wait. Together, we can make a difference and save lives.’

Elisabetta Zanon - Chief Executive Officer, European Cancer Organisation

 

‘By coming together across borders, we unite our voices and actions to eliminate HPV-related cancers.

Through shared knowledge, best practices, and collective resolve, we pave the way for a future free from the burden of HPV, safeguarding the health of generations to come.

Together, we are stronger and more effective in driving change.’

Amil Družić – Vice-Chair of the HVP and Hep B Action Network, European Cancer Organisation

 

‘Prevention is a commitment we must uphold every day. HPV is entirely preventable. Through vaccination, screening, and education, we have the power to protect future generations from the cancers it causes.

We cannot allow skepticism, misinformation, and deeply rooted stigmas to stand in the way of progress. It is up to all of us to take action, raise awareness, dispel myths, advocate for access, and support prevention at every level.’

Emanuela Dodeva - President and Co-Founder, EZRA