Based on the public health importance of cervical cancer and the opportunities and challenges presented by rapidly developing technologies, this guidance has been developed for UNFPA country offices and programme managers in the Ministry of Health who would wish to develop or update cervical cancer prevention and control programmes. It includes recommendations for governments and their development partners for strategic planning for cervical cancer prevention and control.

The guidance includes three sections: the first two on strengthening health systems for introduction and delivery of HPV vaccine and for screening and treatment of precancerous lesions respectively, and the third one on advocacy and community mobilization.

The programme guidance is the product of a collaborative work of a multidisciplinary group that convened in New York in December 2010 to share evidence and experience in cervical cancer prevention and control programming and develop the guidance. The group included 17 country teams from all regions working on cervical cancer prevention and control, together with technical experts from 7 partner agencies (GAVI, IPPF, Jhpiego, PAHO, PATH, UICC and WHO). Available in five languages.