ESGO responds to EU consultation on the 2026–2030 Gender Equality Strategy
ESGO Responds to EU Consultation on the 2026–2030 Gender Equality Strategy and Calls for a European Ecosystem of Centres of Excellence for Women’s Health
Health equity must be placed at the heart of the EU Gender Equality Strategy, with broad structural solutions to improve outcomes and address persistent gaps in women’s unmet healthcare needs.
The European Society of Gynaecological Oncology (ESGO) has submitted its contribution to the European Commission’s public consultation on its upcoming Gender Equality Strategy post-2025, urging the EU to prioritise women’s health as the foundation of gender equality. Despite women representing more than half of Europe’s population, their health needs remain chronically underserved, with gynaecological cancers emblematic of this neglect. Ovarian cancer alone causes over 42,700 deaths annually in Europe, while endometrial cancer is projected to become the most common gynaecological cancer in the EU, with over 121,000 new cases each year. Access to prevention, diagnostics, and treatment remains fragmented, and women in Central and Eastern Europe continue to experience significantly worse outcomes than those in Western and Northern regions.
Drawing on more than four decades of experience, ESGO highlights how its pan-European infrastructure – spanning over 3,000 members, 120 accredited clinical centres, 80 training centres, and extensive research initiatives – strengthens quality and improves equity and excellence in women’s cancer care. Through its accreditation programme, ESGO recognises centres that meet the highest standards in multidisciplinary care and evidence-based practice. These accredited centres, together with other initiatives like the pioneering ovarian cancer database, serve as vital tools for advancing research and informing policymaking.
Building on this track record, ESGO calls for the establishment of an EU-wide Ecosystem of Centres of Excellence for Women’s Health. This visionary network would unite high-performing institutions across Member States under harmonised, sustainable standards, ensuring that all women in Europe – regardless of where they live – can access high-quality, comprehensive care. Moreover, this ecosystem would span the full continuum of women’s health, including reproductive health, menopause, and the management of pre-cancerous and chronic conditions. Connected through a structured referral system, these centres would function as hubs for clinical care, research, innovation, and policy alignment, directly supporting EU priorities.
As the new EU Gender Equality Strategy takes shape, ESGO is committed to continuously supporting the Strategy’s broader goals, by rebalancing healthcare systems to better serve women, helping to ensure that no woman is left behind.
