New York is the greatest city in the world—but we only deserve that title if our greatness is shared by every New Yorker. Last Sunday was Mothers’ Day, a good time to take stock of what our Administration is doing to make all the women of New York City healthier, safer, and able to build better lives for themselves and their families.

We’re strongly committed to improving the health of women in our city. One of the top goals of “Take Care New York”—our Administration’s plan to improve public health —is to dramatically increase screening for breast and cervical cancer. Our city’s public hospitals are playing a big part in this effort; over the last two years, they’ve provided 140,000 mammograms, and detected cancer in 1,000 women—usually in early stages, when treatment can make all the difference for long-term survival. I want to urge every woman who is 40 or older who hasn’t had a mammogram to call the Citizen Service Hotline at “311,” find out where the most convenient public hospital or clinic is and make an appointment for a screening.

New York is the safest large city in the nation—and that gives the women of our city greater security on the streets and in their homes. We’re working hard to increase that security. For instance, we’ve implemented “John Doe” indictments in rape cases where the identity of a woman’s attacker is unknown, but where DNA evidence has been gathered. That way, when the rapist is identified—either before or after the ten-year statute of limitations has expired—we can prosecute him. We’ve launched a pilot program that provides counseling and other services within one hour of arrival to every sexual assault victim who comes into public hospitals in the Bronx, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. We’re also stopping crime that goes on behind closed doors: domestic violence. We’ve digitized the calls that victims of battering make to 911, so that prosecutors can instantly access and play them as evidence in court. And deaths resulting from domestic violence are 30% lower than they were three years ago—a tribute to the efforts of Commissioner Yolanda Jimenez and her team at the Mayor’s Office to Combat Domestic Violence.

We’re also doing everything we can to help every woman in our city realize her full economic potential. Women are helping lead the economic recovery in all five boroughs that added 24,000 jobs during the first quarter of the year. Our Administration has opened up the process of bidding for City contracts to more women-owned businesses. And when it comes to encouraging women to advance in the workplace, our Administration believes in leading by example. We’ve appointed more women to executive positions—including two deputy mayors and 10 judges—than any other Administration. We want every woman to know that if you want to raise a family… succeed in business… and lead a happy and fulfilling life… the best place to live is here in New York – the greatest city in the world.