The WoRTH Project : Women’s Right to Health

The WoRTH project aims to reduce the incidence of and mortality from breast and cervical cancers in Albania, Montenegro and Morocco, through a comprehensive screening strategy. It will be developed in accordance with national public policies and in close coordination with national health authorities and local healthcare practitioners.

The growing impact of breast and cervical cancers on the 15 countries of the Southern and Eastern shores of the Mediterranean is a major concern. In these countries, incidence and mortality rates of both cancers have been increasing over the past decades. Every year, over 212,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer, and 19,000 with cervical cancer, while 62,200 and 7,800 respectively succumb to the disease.

With a budget of €4.16 million over 4 years, this project encourages the introduction of a multidimensional and gender-sensitive approach to cervical and breast cancer prevention, focusing on existing policies and delivered services (e.g. primary healthcare facilities, family planning clinics, etc.). The overall aim is to reduce delays to cancer diagnosis and premature deaths, as well as the socio-economic impact of cancer. The project will also encourage in-country and regional cooperation through a cancer-prevention network. This will foster the exchange of information, best practices, and cancer prevention strategies tailored to local realities.

Within the scope of the project, over 45,000 disadvantaged women (aged 25-65) are expected to be tested for cervical and breast cancer and to be educated on the importance of cancer prevention, and more than 300 healthcare professionals and other stakeholders involved in early detection/screening programmes will be trained.