The Road to the SDGs

PURPOSE X There has long been a pressing need to prioritise diagnosis and treatment of women’s cancers in IsDB’s MCs and beyond. X This requires significant investments involving a broad range of partners in comprehensive cancer control, to achieve the dual aims of saving lives and strengthening national health systems. X Among the most urgent requirements are expanded access to screening and effective, safe and sustainable cancer diagnostics and treatment services. METHOD X As part of the partnership, IsDB is currently working with the IAEA on an initiative called Saving Women’s Lives from Cancer. X IsDB and the IAEA have a longstanding, successful collaboration around improving cancer treatment and outcomes for the countries where they are active. To effectively address the enormous challenges at hand, the two organisations have developed a Partnership Initiative for Breast and Cervical Cancer Control in Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs), aiming to: – Contribute to the global effort to save millions of women’s lives from breast and cervical cancer by giving them a fair chance through increased access to prevention, diagnostics and treatment, in cooperation with other United Nations partners – Provide a tangible contribution towards SDGs 3, 5, 9 and 17 by working with other United Nations partners to improve gender equality and basic human rights and promote access to health services and improved sexual and reproductive health and rights of women as well as to encourage innovation and increased research and development spending. X The initiative utilises a platform which will marshal resources from the public, private and philanthropic sectors and the general public under a financial blending mechanism, the Public-Private- Philanthropic Partnership for People (5Ps). X The new platform will address cancer prevention, screening, diagnostic and treatment services for women in IsDB-IAEA common MCs. It is expected to contribute to saving over one million women’s lives from breast cancer and 3.7 million women’s lives from cervical cancer over the next decade. ACHIEVEMENTS X The initiative has reached the implementation phase, despite the difficulties presented by COVID-19. Saving Women’s Lives from Cancer T ogether with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), IsDB is harnessing the power of innovation to address women’s cancers In September 2021, the longstanding partnership between IsDB and the IAEA will enter a new phase, with the launch of a trust fund to support this initiative. IsDB is also planning an official pledge aimed at bringing global partners together around the initiative [ 132 ] SDGs