A project led by NSW's Southern Cross University is aiming to overcome systemic and cultural barriers which have left Indigenous women at significantly higher risk of cervical cancer.

SISTASCREEN, a federally-funded initiative, will receive almost $2.5 million over three years from Cancer Australia's Partnerships for Cancer Research grant program.

The project will co-design and deliver strategies to increase cervical screening uptake during pregnancy and the postpartum periods for First Nations women.

Leading the project is Worimi woman, obstetrician and gynaecologist Dr Marilyn Clarke, who is based on Gumbaynggirr Country at the University's Coffs Harbour campus.

With more than 20 years' experience in women's health, Dr Clarke believes antenatal care offers a unique opportunity for early intervention.

"Antenatal visits at local Aboriginal community-controlled health services provide an ideal and culturally safe time to engage women in cervical screening," Dr Clarke said.

"SISTASCREEN is about empowering First Nations women and increasing screening rates through care that respects their culture and lived experiences."

Statistics suggest First Nations women are 2.3 times more likely to be diagnosed with cervical cancer and almost four times more likely to die from the disease than non-Indigenous women, yet in 2023, just 42.5 per cent of eligible First Nations women had a cervical screening test in the preceding five years.

The project will see Southern Cross University (SCU) work in close partnership with the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO), with plans to reach 50 Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations (ACCHOs) nationwide over the next three years.

NACCHO chief executive officer Pat Turner AM said the initiative was vital to ensuring equity in cancer care.

"For too long, our women have faced barriers to lifesaving screening and care—barriers rooted in systems not designed for us," Ms Turner said.

"SISTASCREEN is about putting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women at the centre of solutions. This is a chance to provide care in a culturally safe, empowering way that builds trust and saves lives."

Six "early adopter" sites, including Ballina's Bullinah Aboriginal Health Service on the NSW North Coast, will help co-design the resources while playing a critical role in shaping the program's nationwide rollout.

Dr Clarke also highlighted the importance of up-skilling the First Nations health workforce as part of the project.

"We want to ensure health providers have the confidence and skills to offer both self-collected and clinician-collected cervical screening tests," she said.

"This is not just about screening—it's about building capacity and changing the future of Indigenous women's health."

SISTASCREEN is part of a broader suite of health programs led by SCU targeting improved outcomes for First Nations women.

These include SISTABIRTH, a culturally appropriate perinatal care model, and iSISTAQUIT, a program supporting smoking and vaping cessation.

Dr Clarke says initiatives like SISTASCREEN are essential to ensuring no woman is left behind.

"Engaging women early and positively in their screening journey is the key to long-term health outcomes," she said.

"We're building not just a program, but a pathway to equity."