PRESS RELEASE -  Introducing five basic cancer rights for women at the European Parliament

 

For the cancer care women need.

For the cancer care women deserve.

Introducing five basic cancer rights at the European Parliament

 

An estimated 12 million women in Europe are currently living with cancer. Another 1.2 million women are diagnosed with the disease each year – and nearly 600,000 are dying from it annually.

The call for action has never been so urgent! 

In advance of International Women’s Day on 8 March, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is calling for a ‘Roadmap for Women’s Rights’. She is laying the groundwork for a new Gender Equality Strategy beyond 2025, with discrimination in health finally recognised as a critical issue. The directive was contained in the President’s Mission Letter to Commissioner for Equality, Hadja Lahbib. 

That is the backdrop for an event in the European Parliament today hosted by Romana Jerkovic, MEP and the European Cancer Organisation. Speakers include Tilly Metz, MEP, and representatives of the European Women Lobby, the European Institute of Women’s Health, Youth Cancer Europe, Eurocarers, the European Association of Nuclear Medicine and the European Cancer Organisation. 

Together, they are calling for the EU to recognise five essential cancer rights for women in the EU’s gender equality agenda:

1. The Right to Access HPV Vaccination - Cervical cancer remains one of the most preventable cancers, yet over 28,000 women in Europe were diagnosed with the disease in 2022. Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan is working to eliminate human papillomavirus (HPV) by ensuring at least 90% of girls are vaccinated by 2030. Universal access to HPV vaccination must be guaranteed. No woman or girl should face a preventable cancer.
2. The Right to Access Screening – In 2021 in the EU, 83% of Danish women aged 50 to 69 years old engaged in breast cancer screening, compared to 21% in Bulgaria. A similar gap exists for cervical cancer: in 2022, screening rates reached 79% in Sweden, while only 11% of women in Poland were screened. Access to breast and gynaecological cancer screening, conducted according to EU guidelines, must be recognised as an undisputed women’s right.
3. The Right to Access Fertility Treatment - An estimated 70%-75% of cancer survivors want to become parents, yet 80% of them are affected by reduced fertility. Every woman should have the right to access personalised fertility care. All women should be counselled on fertility preservation, empowering them to make informed decisions about their cancer treatment and reproductive future.
4. The Right to be Recognised and Protected in Your Carer Role - Women’s earnings remain 12.7% lower than men’s, leaving 32 million women caregivers across Europe at heightened risk of poverty. The EU must ensure adequate support, legal protections, and social security rights for women caregivers.
5. The Right to Equality in the Oncology Workplace – Women make up 70% of the global healthcare workforce, yet they earn 20% less than their male colleagues. National health ministries, professional societies and universities should establish targets and strategies to achieve gender equality, including equal leadership opportunities.

 You may read more and find additional references here.

MEP Romana Jerkovic, Vice-Chair of the SANT Committee and leading the event said: ‘This is a call to action. We must work together towards our common goal: securing truly comprehensive cancer rights for women across Europe. With the EU’s Gender Equality Strategy being renewed and the Roadmap for Women’s Rights to be published on the International Women’s Day’, now is the time to put an end to discrimination in health care, once and for all.’

To learn more or to arrange a telephone interview with any of the speakers, please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  

Notes to Editors:

1. The European Cancer Organisation is a not-for-profit umbrella federation of 42 Member Societies working in cancer at the European level, together with 21 European Patient Advisory Committee members, representing European and international patient societies. The Organisation is dedicated to convening oncology professionals and patients to agree on policy, advocate for positive change, and represent the interests of the European cancer community.  

2. The European Cancer Organisation’s Inequalities Network fosters collaboration of all relevant stakeholders to better understand and address drivers of cancer inequalities. This Network is dedicated to building consensus and presenting policy solutions to cancer inequalities due to geography, economic status, gender, age, ethnicity, sexuality and identity.  

3. ECO launched the Women & Cancer Workstream in April 2024, as part of the Inequalities Network. The latter looks to address the unique inequities faced by women who experience a cancer diagnosis, women working in the cancer sector, and women who provide care to persons with cancer.

About the European Cancer Organisation (ECO)

The European Cancer Organisation is the largest multi-professional cancer organisation in Europe. It helps reduce the burden of cancer, improve outcomes, and enhance the quality of care for patients. As the not-for-profit federation of member organisations, it convenes cancer professionals and patients to agree on policy, advocate for change, and speak up for the European cancer community. More information is available here.

For more information, please contact

Marion L’Hôte, Senior Policy Officer  

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Eduardo Veber, Communication Officer  

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