NYREADERS - Mayor Eric Adams, who was elected mayor of New York City in the city's 2021 mayoral election, on January 25, 2024, unveiled, “Women Forward NYC: An Action Plan for Gender Equity,” a more than $43 million investment aimed at making New York City a national leader on gender equity, including for transgender and gender expansive New Yorkers.
As quoted from nyc.gov, this move carries the ambitious goal of becoming the most women-forward city in the United States.
Supported through city dollars, private and public partnerships, academic institutions, and federal grant funding, the action plan addresses gender disparities by connecting women to professional development and higher-paying jobs; dismantling barriers to sexual, reproductive, and chronic health care; reducing gender-based violence against women; and providing holistic housing services, including for formerly incarcerated women and domestic and gender-based violence survivors.
New Yorkers can now visit the re-launched women.nyc, a one-stop shop website, to learn more about the action plan and access city services to support women and families. Announced last week, as part of Mayor Adams’ State of the City address, the action plan builds on the Adams administration’s record of investments and policies that uplift and support women across New York City.
“As a child, my mother worked three jobs just to make ends meet, and for too long, women like her have been left behind, failed by systems that pay women less than their counterparts, overlook and even dimmish their health needs, and neglect their safety,” said Mayor Adams.
“This plan builds on our administration’s existing efforts by creating a clear path to holistically and comprehensively address the inequities women face today. New York City leads the nation in many ways — now, it’s time we lead on gender equity and take the steps to make this the most women-forward city in America.”
Women across the country are still facing systemic, gender-based inequities.
In New York State, women continue to be paid 86 cents for every dollar a man is paid — 64 cents for Black women and 57 cents for Hispanic women. During the COVID-19 pandemic, almost 250,000 mothers left or downshifted their jobs in New York City due to lack of access to quality child care.
Black women are four times more likely to die during childbirth than white women.
Finally, 75 percent of women in New York City reported being harassed during their daily commutes in 2018.
Women Forward NYC employs a holistic approach to address immediate needs, tackle long-standing disparities, and position New York City as a national leader for advancing women’s issues.
The action plan encompasses new and ongoing investments dedicated to supporting gender equity totaling over $43 million between city funding, private funding, academic institutions, and federal grants — representing a successful model for public-private partnerships to address equity across the five boroughs.
“The strong leadership from women in the Adams administration is responsible for creating and enacting policies that move our entire city forward,” said First Deputy Mayor Sheena Wright.
“Mayor Adams — and the exceptional team of women leaders I’m proud to work alongside every day — knows that when New York City’s women succeed, our city succeeds,” said Chief of Staff Camille Joseph Varlack.