We advance laws, promote women in politics, fight for reproductive justice, challenge discrimination and violence against women, and act NOW.
Reproductive Justice
Veteran’s Affairs Ends Anti-Gay IVF Policies
2024
In response to a federal lawsuit filled by NOW-NYC, the Departments of Defense changed their discriminative anti-gay IVF policies, both agencies have now changed course, and IVF treatment will no longer exclude single women and same-sex couples!
Workplace Rights
New York Passes the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act
2023
Every pregnant worker deserves the opportunity to work to support her family without risking the health of her pregnancy. Yet pregnant workers, especially those in low-wage and physically demanding jobs, are routinely forced to choose between their health and a paycheck. The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA) provides women with reasonable accommodations while on the job to prevent pregnancy complications. The PWFA federal bill passed with bipartisan support!
Political Action
We Grabbed Trump By the Ballot & Won
2020
In the midst of a pandemic we quickly adapted our activism to deliver a new online series of Activist Power Hours; educated voters on the core issues of reproductive justice, economic inequality, racial justice, and effective civic engagement; and mobilized phonebanking and voter outreach to support women’s rights candidates and finally vote Trump out, ushering in new leadership to change U.S. history!
Ending Violence
New York Expands Statute of Limitations on Rape
2019
Thirteen years after we worked to eliminate the statute of limitations on rape in the first degree, we celebrated the extension of the statute of limitations for rape in the second and third degree and criminal sexual acts in the second degree. The statute of limitations will now be twenty years for second degree rape and ten years for third degree.
Changing Laws
New Law Ends Child Marriage in New York
2017
After a two-year campaign to raise awareness about child marriage in New York, we passed a new law banning marriage for minors ages 14 to 16 and put new protections in place to ensure 17-year-olds are not being coerced or forced into marriage. The new law ends the practice of adult men marrying underage girls in our state.
Resisting Trump
Women Resist and Make "Herstory"
2016
In the months after the consequential 2016 election, we mobilized a historic response and renewed our commitment to be a home for activism, women’s rights, and equality for all New Yorkers. We organized workshops on civic engagement, trained thousands of new activists, and brought 12 buses of NOW-NYC members to the inaugural Women’s March in Washington, D.C.
A Track Record of Success.
5,000
Doors Knocked
Together, we canvassed across the northeast to elect a new, blue wave of women’s rights candidates to office in 2018.
Over 15
Laws Passed
In the past decade, we’ve united members and allies to pass stronger laws that advance equality for NY women.
50+
Years in Action
For more than half a century, we have been raising the bar for what women and girls are able to achieve.