NOMAN and GAMH call on WHO to act on UN commitment to HPV vaccination for girls and boys

NOMAN is an Island: Race to End HPV and Global Action on Men’s Health (GAMH) have called on the World Health Organization (WHO) to update its HPV vaccination approach and implementation guidance to reflect the United Nations’ commitment to reaching both girls and boys.

Our joint open letter, published on 9 April 2026, follows the adoption of the UN Political Declaration on noncommunicable diseases and mental health in December 2025. Endorsed by 175 countries, the declaration explicitly includes HPV vaccination for girls and boys within its commitment to cervical cancer elimination.

The letter calls for this political commitment to be translated into policy, financing and practical support for countries introducing routine universal HPV vaccination.

Making protection available to everyone

Our call highlights the importance of preventing the full range of HPV-related cancers and diseases affecting women and men. It sets out the case for vaccinating boys alongside girls to reduce HPV transmission, support cervical cancer elimination and provide equitable access to protection.

It also draws attention to the barriers facing lower-income countries. Financial and technical assistance focused on girls-only programmes can limit countries’ ability to extend vaccination to boys, even where governments wish to do so. Addressing these barriers is essential to ensuring that access to protection does not depend on sex or where a child is born.

Five questions for WHO

The letter asks WHO to clarify:

• What steps it plans to take to extend HPV vaccination to boys globally.

• Whether it has established a timeline to review its cervical cancer strategy and recognise boys as equal beneficiaries of HPV vaccination.

• Whether it will work with Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, to include boys equally within vaccination support.

• How it will support expanded financing and technical assistance for routine universal HPV vaccination.

• How it will help countries address all HPV-related cancers in national cancer, sexual health, immunisation, adolescent health and universal health coverage policies.

  
  

Signed by NOMAN Director David Winterflood and GAMH Chief Executive Peter Baker, the letter also offers our organisations’ support to WHO in advancing this work.

For NOMAN, the priority is clear: turning international commitments into programmes that protect both girls and boys, as part of our goal of routine universal HPV vaccination globally by 2030.

Read the full open letter on ecancer.