Let’s talk about something that doesn’t get nearly enough airtime: Indigenous Australian women are dying from cervical cancer at rates that should make us all furious. We’re talking five times higher than non-Indigenous women (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2023). Five. Times. In a country with world-class healthcare and a National Cervical Screening Program designed to catch this disease early, that disparity is nothing short of a crisis.
First Nations women aren’t waiting for the system to fix itself. They’re stepping up, leading from the front, and driving change that’s already saving lives. Recent coverage from National Indigenous Times highlights the incredible work of Indigenous leaders who are transforming cervical cancer prevention in their communities—and it’s a masterclass in what happens when healthcare is designed by the people it’s meant to serve, not just for them (National Indigenous Times, 2025).
At June Health, we believe healthcare is a right, not a privilege—and that means dismantling every barrier that stands between you and life-saving screening. So why do Indigenous women face such shocking cervical cancer rates, how are community-led initiatives are changing the game, and what we can all learn from this movement. Because when we centre the voices of those most impacted, everyone benefits.
The Brutal Reality: Cervical Cancer Rates Among Indigenous Women
First, the facts—because we can’t fix what we don’t acknowledge. Indigenous Australian women experience cervical cancer incidence rates that are approximately double those of non-Indigenous women, and mortality rates are up to five times higher (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2023). Read that again. Five times higher.
This isn’t about biology or genetics. It’s about systemic barriers that have locked First Nations women out of equitable healthcare for generations:
Why screening rates are lower:
- Access barriers: Remote communities often lack nearby screening facilities, meaning women need to travel hours for appointments—if transport is even available
- Cultural safety: Many Indigenous women report feeling uncomfortable or disrespected in mainstream healthcare settings, where culturally inappropriate practices (like male doctors performing intimate exams without female support) are common
- Historical trauma: Decades of mistreatment, forced removals, and racist policies have bred deep mistrust of medical institutions
- Competing priorities: When you’re dealing with housing instability, food insecurity, or chronic disease management, a screening test can feel like a luxury
- Awareness gaps: Misinformation about what cervical screening involves, who needs it, and why it matters still circulates
The National Cervical Screening Program recommends screening every five years for people aged 25–74 using the Cervical Screening Test (which detects human papillomavirus, or HPV—the virus that causes cervical cancer). But participation rates among Indigenous women sit around 46%, compared to 58% for non-Indigenous women (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2022). That gap is costing lives.
How Indigenous Leaders Are Rewriting the Playbook
Here’s the thing: top-down, one-size-fits-all health programs have never worked for First Nations communities. What does work? Indigenous-led solutions that respect culture, build trust, and meet women where they’re at—literally and figuratively.
The National Indigenous Times piece spotlights leaders who are doing exactly that, and their strategies are as brilliant as they are common-sense (National Indigenous Times, 2025). Let’s break down what’s working:
1. Community Health Workers as Trusted Messengers
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health workers and practitioners are the unsung heroes of this movement. They’re not just delivering healthcare—they’re bridging cultural divides, translating complex medical info into plain language, and providing the kind of reassurance that only comes from someone who gets your lived experience.
Programs that employ local women to conduct outreach, education, and even self-collection demonstrations are seeing participation rates soar. Why? Because when your auntie, cousin, or neighbour explains why screening matters, you listen. Trust isn’t built in a GP’s office—it’s built in community.
2. Self-Collection: A Total Game-Changer
Okay, this is huge. Since 2017, the Cervical Screening Test has allowed for self-collection of samples, meaning you can swab yourself (a bit like a tampon insertion) instead of having a doctor or nurse do an internal speculum exam (Cancer Council Australia, 2022). For Indigenous women—especially those who’ve experienced trauma, cultural discomfort, or lack access to female practitioners—this option is revolutionary.
Self-collection can happen in community health centres, mobile clinics, or even at home (like with June Health’s at-home Cervical Screening Test). It’s private, less invasive, and removes a massive psychological barrier. Indigenous health programs are prioritising self-collection education, and the uptake is climbing.
3. Mobile Clinics Bringing Care to Remote Communities
You can’t screen if you can’t reach the clinic. Mobile health services that travel to remote and very remote communities are closing the access gap, offering screening alongside other preventive care (like STI testing, contraception, and vaccinations). These clinics often incorporate cultural protocols—like having female-only spaces, allowing family to be present, and scheduling around community events.
4. Cultural Safety Training for Healthcare Providers
Indigenous leaders are demanding that mainstream healthcare workers undergo proper cultural safety training—not a token half-day workshop, but deep, ongoing education about trauma-informed care, communication styles, and the historical context shaping Indigenous health outcomes. When GPs and practice nurses understand why a woman might be hesitant, they can adapt their approach with respect and humility.
5. Leveraging HPV Vaccination for Younger Generations
While screening catches cancer early, vaccination prevents it. Australia’s National HPV Vaccination Program offers free Gardasil 9 (which protects against nine HPV strains responsible for 90% of cervical cancers) to all young people aged 12–13 through schools (Australian Government Department of Health, 2023). Indigenous health advocates are working overtime to boost uptake in First Nations communities, ensuring this generation grows up with far lower cervical cancer risk.
What the Data Tells Us About Progress (and What’s Left to Do)
The good news? These efforts are making a dent. Some Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations (ACCHOs) are reporting screening participation rates above the national average in their catchments—proof that culturally safe, community-led care works (Whop et al., 2021).
But let’s be real: we’re nowhere near where we need to be. The World Health Organization’s goal is to eliminate cervical cancer as a public health problem by achieving 90% HPV vaccination coverage, 70% screening participation, and 90% treatment access for precancerous lesions (World Health Organization, 2020). Australia is on track for non-Indigenous women, but the gap for Indigenous women is still a chasm.
What still needs fixing:
- Funding: ACCHOs and Indigenous health programs are chronically underfunded. Sustainable, long-term investment is non-negotiable.
- Workforce: We need more Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health practitioners, nurses, and GPs—and pathways to train and retain them.
- Coordination: Fragmented services mean women fall through the cracks. Integrated care models that link screening, follow-up, and treatment are essential.
- Data: Better collection and reporting of Indigenous-specific cervical cancer data will help target interventions and track progress.
What This Means for You—No Matter Your Background
If you’re an Indigenous woman reading this, here’s what you need to know:
You deserve culturally safe, respectful care—and it exists. Seek out your local ACCHO or Indigenous health service. Ask about self-collection. Bring a support person. You’re not being “difficult” or “demanding”—you’re advocating for your life.
If you’re between 25–74 and haven’t screened in five years (or ever), now’s the time. Cervical cancer is one of the most preventable cancers, but only if you screen. The Cervical Screening Test is quick, and self-collection options mean you can do it on your terms.
Don’t have access to an ACCHO or culturally safe clinic? June Health’s at-home Cervical Screening Test lets you self-collect in complete privacy. You order online, collect your sample at home, post it back in the free reply-paid envelope, and get results in 5–10 days. Plus, you’ll have a free consult with one of our allied health practitioners to talk through results—no judgment, just support. We’re proudly welcoming all women and people with vaginas, including First Nations, LGBTQIA+, and culturally diverse folks.
Why Indigenous Leadership Is the Blueprint for Health Equity
Here’s the bigger lesson: when marginalized communities lead their own health initiatives, outcomes improve across the board. Indigenous women aren’t just closing gaps for themselves—they’re showing the entire healthcare system how to do equity properly.
The strategies that work for First Nations women—trust-building, cultural safety, self-directed care, removing logistical barriers—are exactly what benefit all women, especially those navigating poverty, disability, rurality, or other forms of marginalisation. This isn’t charity. It’s justice. And it’s working.
Healthcare isn’t one-size-fits-all, and it never should be. When we listen to Indigenous women, fund their initiatives, and get out of the way, lives are saved. That’s not a feel-good story—it’s a roadmap. Let’s follow it.
Sources
Australian Government Department of Health. (2023). National HPV Vaccination Program. Commonwealth of Australia. https://www.health.gov.au/health-topics/immunisation/immunisation-throughout-life/national-hpv-vaccination-program
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. (2022). Cervical screening in Australia 2022. AIHW, Canberra. https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/cancer-screening/cervical-screening-in-australia-2022
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. (2023). Cancer in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people of Australia. AIHW, Canberra. https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/cancer/cancer-in-indigenous-australians
Cancer Council Australia. (2022). Self-collection for cervical screening. https://www.cancer.org.au/cancer-information/causes-and-prevention/early-detection-and-screening/cervical-screening/self-collection
National Indigenous Times. (2025). Indigenous leadership making an impact in push to eliminate cervical cancer. https://nit.com.au/17-11-2025/21310/indigenous-leadership-making-an-impact-in-push-to-eliminate-cervical-cancer
Whop, L. J., Garvey, G., Baade, P., Cunningham, J., Lokuge, K., & Valery, P. C. (2021). The first comprehensive report on Indigenous Australian women’s inequalities in cervical screening: A retrospective registry cohort study in Queensland, Australia (2000–2011). Cancer, 127(8), 1377-1389. https://doi.org/10.1002/cncr.33239
World Health Organization. (2020). Global strategy to accelerate the elimination of cervical cancer as a public health problem. WHO, Geneva. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240014107
Disclaimer: This article is for educational purposes only and does not replace professional medical advice. If you’re due for cervical screening or have concerns, consult your GP, ACCHO, or local Indigenous health service.
