Representatives of the Women’s Association “Riječ” from Gacko, within a campaign implemented as part of the PRAGG project, submitted an official initiative to the Mayor for the adoption of a Local Action Plan for the Prevention of Cancers of the Female Reproductive Organs in the Municipality of Gacko, marking an important step toward a systematic approach to protecting women’s health.

On that occasion, the Municipality expressed full support for the campaign.

Guided by the belief that education on the importance of preventive check-ups, HPV vaccination, and self-examinations must not be occasional but a continuous practice, the Women’s Association “Riječ” emphasizes that such an approach is key to making prevention an everyday healthy habit. In the long term, this would contribute to reducing the number of newly registered cases of cancers of the female reproductive organs. In this context, the campaign titled “Be One Step Ahead” was launched in February 2026.

Founded less than a year ago with the aim of empowering women by improving quality of life—from violence prevention to health and well-being—the Women’s Association “Riječ” highlights that raising awareness about prevention directly contributes to an increase in successfully treated patients, as well as a reduction in mortality from breast, ovarian, and cervical cancer.

With the goal of initiating systemic solutions and introducing continuous care for women’s reproductive health, the Association’s activists held a meeting on March 12, 2026, with the Mayor of Gacko, Vukota Govedarica, and Deputy Mayor Aleksandar Ćeranić.

On that occasion, the Mayor was also presented with the official initiative for the development and adoption of the Local Action Plan for the Prevention of Cancers of the Female Reproductive Organs.

Representatives of the Municipality supported the initiative and, already during the meeting, instructed the preparation of materials for the establishment of a working group that will systematically address this issue. The Women’s Association “Riječ” expects that the activities planned for the upcoming period—including prevention education, round tables, and informative media campaigns—will be accompanied by the drafting and adoption of this important document in the Municipal Assembly of Gacko.

It is worth noting that in Republika Srpska, around 200 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer each year, while approximately 50 lose their lives to the disease. At the same time, breast cancer affects around 600 women annually, with approximately 100 cases resulting in death. Women between the ages of 40 and 60 are most commonly affected.