Yesterday on the sidelines of the World Health Assembly, the McCabe Centre for Law and Cancer was proud to co-host a side event with UICC on building people-centred cancer systems— and to explore what it will take to better support people living with and beyond cancer, and those who care for them.
A consistent theme throughout the discussion was that people-centred cancer care must extend beyond treatment. It must also address the legal, social and economic realities that shape whether people can live with dignity, maintain income, stay connected to work, access support, and participate fully in society after a cancer diagnosis.
We were privileged to hear from a remarkable group of speakers:
Dr André Ilbawi, the lead WHO’s cancer team, spoke about WHO’s process of meaningful engagement of people with lived experience in global cancer policy, and highlighted the role of social protections in shaping more responsive and equitable cancer systems.
Hayley Jones, Director of the McCabe Centre reflected on our research on global approaches to legal protections for people affected by cancer and why these matter: from anti-discrimination protections and reasonable workplace accommodations, to paid leave, income support and unpaid carer protections, and shared examples of how law can be used as a practical tool for change.
Dr Fatima Cardoso brought important insights from the ABC Global Alliance, including the need to strengthen the legal rights of people living with advanced breast cancer, including the right to continue or return to work, and the value of economic modelling in demonstrating the return on investment of supportive workplace policies in Portugal.
Nisreen Qatamish shared lessons from work examining labour law and social security reform in Jordan led by the King Hussein Cancer Foundation, showing how legal and policy change can help close gaps in workplace rights, financial protection and equitable coverage for people affected by cancer.
Across the discussion moderated by Dr Kirstie Graham, several themes stood out:
- the value of lived experience in shaping law and policy
- the gaps that can exist between laws on paper and the reality which people experience
- the need for legal advice and financial supports to help people realise their rights
- recognition and support for carers
- the need to build a stronger evidence base, including the economic benefits and improved productivity linked to social protections.
Looking to the future where more people will be living with cancer and chronic disease, speakers emphasised the need to change mindsets to ensure our laws and policies don’t reflect an outdated concept of sick and well, but recognise the reality of chronic disease.
If we are serious about people-centred cancer systems, these protections cannot be treated as optional extras. They are part of the support architecture that enables people affected by cancer not only to survive, but to live with dignity, security and opportunity.
We look forward to reading the forthcoming WHO Cancer Global Status report, which will include an extensive section on social protections and meaningful engagement. Thank you to our co-hosts, speakers and everyone who joined the conversation, we are committed to continuing to work with partners globally to advance rights-based, equitable and supportive cancer systems for all.