NYREADERS - 'Women Forward NYC: An Action Plan for Gender Equity' is a more than $43 million initiative that aims to establish New York City as a national leader on gender equity, including for transgender and gender expansive residents. Here are the details of the initiative.
The action plan invests in many different sectors, but it primarily focuses on three areas, with a particular emphasis on helping historically excluded populations:
Economic Mobility
The action plan will build pipelines toward higher-wage, in-demand career pathways, improve financial literacy and access to financial resources, and dismantle barriers to work and education by:
- Providing funding to the Girl Scouts of Greater New York Troop 6000, made up of young girls in New York City Department of Homeless Services’ (DHS) shelters, through a first-of-its-kind program designed to provide age-appropriate financial literacy training and $10.00 to each young girl to start bank accounts;
- Expanding career opportunity programs for New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) residents to start their own food or child care business; and
- Starting career and college prep for young women, specifically women of color, through the expansion of NYC Service’s mentoring initiatives.
Women’s Health
By addressing inequities in sexual, chronic, and reproductive health; taking action to reduce Black and Brown maternal mortality rates; providing additional access to comprehensive medical treatment; and enhancing mental health education and outreach, the plan will:
- Release Women’s Health report and the city’s recommendations to making the workplace more women’s health friendly — both resulting from the city’s first-ever Women’s Health Summit last spring with over 100 experts;
- Launch new mental health support run by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) for pre/post-natal women in neighborhoods with high rates of maternal and infant mortality; and
- Providing additional funding towards the Abortion Access Hub hotline and medication abortion services at New York City Sexual Health Clinics operated by DOHMH.
Public Safety and Housing Stability
To increase initiatives that reduce violence toward women, particularly LGBTQ+ women, nonbinary New Yorkers, and women of color; expand interventions to prevent domestic and gender-based violence and support survivors; and provide a continuum of services for low-income families to keep them in their homes or accelerate their leave from shelter and back into their communities, the action plan will:
- Support domestic violence survivors, including by expanding the Mayor’s Office to End Domestic and Gender Based Violence’s (ENDGBV) Home+ program, which provides personal security devices and resources to keep survivors safe in their homes;
- Restart the Girl Talk mentorship program between female New York City Police Department (NYPD) officers and teenage girls to serve thousands annually; and
- Provide funding to support services and housing assistance targeted directly to formerly incarcerated women.
- Finally, the Adams administration will lead the way, incorporating more women-focused programming, planning, and partnerships to better serve and support women in the workforce across the city.
"Ensuring that women have an equal voice in creating and implementing change is vital to the success of our city," said New York Chief Equity Officer and Mayor's Office of Equity & Racial Justice Commissioner Sideya Sherman. "Women Forward NYC recognizes the intersectional identities, diverse experiences, and disparities faced by women, girls, and TGNCNB New Yorkers. We're doubling down on investments that promote reproductive justice, advance pay equity, and create pathways for young women and girls to map out successful futures.“
“There cannot be a health agenda for New York City that doesn’t prioritize women’s health,” said DOHMH Commissioner Dr. Ashwin Vasan.
“When we center health, educational and economic opportunity for women, we are doing what’s right and what’s just, while also standing up for the health of our children, families, and our communities. Women’s health is essential to create a healthier and fairer city for all. We are proud to be a part of this work and energized to make even more progress in the years ahead.”
“We know that domestic violence and gender-based discrimination are primary drivers of homelessness for women and gender non-conforming New Yorkers, and the lack of financial independence puts these already vulnerable communities at greater risk of losing their housing,” said Department of Social Services Commissioner Molly Wasow Park. “Which is why, at the Department of Social Services, we are constantly working to strengthen equity and dedicated supports for marginalized communities who face tremendous barriers to obtaining long-term housing stability. With the Women Forward NYC action plan, this administration is implementing a visionary plan to get at the very root of these crises by empowering our most vulnerable New Yorkers while ensuring a more secure tomorrow for our future generations.”
"As educators and leaders, it is our responsibility to ensure the city our students’ education is increasingly equitable for all," said Department of Education Chancellor David C. Banks. "Menstrual equity is gender equity, and ensuring that period products are free, easily accessible in schools, and available to all students who menstruate is essential in creating a safe and comfortable learning environment. I'm proud of my city partners for the work being done to prioritize gender equity for the health of our city and the betterment of all New Yorkers."
“Women Forward NYC is a huge leap forward in this administration's mission to empower women across New York City,” said Department of Small Business Services (SBS) Commissioner Kevin D. Kim. “SBS is proud to further this mission by connecting women entrepreneurs from all five boroughs to the resources and mentorships they need to find success through our WE NYC initiative and M/WBE certification program. I'm excited to see how this historic investment will build on that important work. The success of our women-owned businesses is integral to building the City of Yes.”
"All New Yorkers should feel confident and inspired to cycle in New York City. That's why we are thrilled to launch a campaign focused on encouraging cycling by women, transgender and gender expansive New Yorkers, through marketing, skills training, and events to build community through cycling," said New York City Department of Transportation Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez. "Inspiring more New Yorkers to bike helps promote a healthful, environmentally friendly, and efficient travel option—not to mention that it's often the fastest way to get around our city."
