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03 December 2023
In brief: The United Nations' collective support to Mongolia's development in 2023-2027
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17 March 2023
The joint cooperation framework for Mongolia and the UN in Mongolia for 2023-2027 enters into full swing
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07 March 2023
Joint Statement of the UN in Mongolia on the occasion of International Women’s Day
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The Sustainable Development Goals in Mongolia
The Sustainable Development Goals are a global call to action to end poverty, protect the earth’s environment and climate, and ensure that people everywhere can enjoy peace and prosperity. These are the goals the UN is working on in Mongolia:
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22 December 2022
Year in Review 2022: UN Mongolia highlights
A new phase of cooperation for 2023-2027
The Government of Mongolia and the United Nations in Mongolia signed a flagship document that will strategically guide the UN’s development cooperation with Mongolia over the next five years.
The United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) for Mongolia 2023-2027 is closely aligned with the national development agenda articulated in Vision 2050, Mongolia’s long-term development policy, and UN development system reforms. The Government of Mongolia and the UN have agreed to work together for Mongolia to advance in sustainable development as a prosperous country characterized by an inclusive, resilient, healthy, and safe environment, and a cohesive society based on the rule of law and human rights.
UN Secretary-General’s visit and other high-level visits from the UN
In 2022, Mongolia received several high-level visitors, including the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who paid an official visit at the invitation of the President of Mongolia, Ukhnaa Khurelsukh. The visit highlighted that Mongolia is a valued UN partner, “a symbol of peace”, and an increasingly important contributor to the work of the UN.
UN Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix visited Mongolia in June and attended the International Women Peacekeepers’ Conference. UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay’s visit to Mongolia in 2022 will strengthen the UN’s cooperation with Mongolia in education, science, and culture.
Prioritizing the SDGs in the national development agenda
The UN in Mongolia has strongly advocated for making the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) a national priority throughout 2022. More than 150 partnering organizations, ranging from government entities to leading national companies and civic movements, showcased their work towards the SDGs for the first-ever SDG Open Day at Sukhbaatar Square.
The event, attended by at least 5,000 people, provided an excellent opportunity to see where Mongolia is and what needs to be done to inspire and further mobilize actions to achieve its development goals. Mongolia’s efforts to accelerate the implementation of SDGs focus on localizing SDGs and the adoption of nationalized targets and indicators. Some provinces (Darkhan-Uul, Orkhon, and Dundgovi) have already taken up the challenge and championed the localization of the SDGs into their regional development plans and pushed for a climate agenda.
Transforming education in Mongolia
The Ministry of Education and Science led the first nationwide consultation with education stakeholders from across the country. Supported by the UN system, represented by UNICEF and UNESCO under the leadership of the UN Resident Coordinator, Mongolia successfully presented its unique initiative to close the gap in the digitalization of the education sector at the Transforming Education Summit held during the UN General Assembly in September 2022.
Global Digital Dialogue
The UN in Mongolia collaborated with the Mongolian Ministry for Digital Development and Communications (MDDC) to organize the first-ever Global Digital Dialogue (GDD) – a virtual event with over 400 participants from over 30 countries and five continents. Close to 800 people joined the event for more than one Deep Dive Session.
The GDD was a platform for countries to exchange their experiences, challenges, and solutions for implementing digital transformation at the country level to help accelerate the SDGs.
Developing a multisource information surveillance system for COVID-19
The UN in Mongolia continued its support to strengthen Mongolia’s response and preventive measures in dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic. Thanks to WHO’s support, the Mongolian healthcare sector’s data collection system was strengthened. Daily aggregated data on services from all 700 state healthcare facilities in Mongolia and 28 private clinics/hospitals are used for critical decision-making processes, such as healthcare capacity and hospital bed management during emergencies.
International women peacekeepers’ conference
In June, Mongolia hosted the three-day international conference Strengthening Roles of Women in Peacekeeping.
The conference, attended by female peacekeepers from 30 countries, spotlighted Mongolia’s leadership in promoting women in peacekeeping to reduce gender parity in international peacekeeping operations. Mongolia pledged to increase its female peacekeepers by 15 percent by 2027, responding to the UN Department of Peace Operations call.
Accelerating climate action and youth engagement
In partnership with leading partners, including the Ministry of Environment and Tourism, UN Mongolia advocated for stronger actions in reversing climate change and leveraging youth power in leading action to save the planet. Facilitated by the UN Association of Mongolia’s Environment Leadership Programme, youth delegates further amplified the voice of Mongolian youth at COP 27. Platforms like the Nationally Determined Contributions: Climate Change and Cities Forum, held in Erdenet in August, are examples of how we facilitated stronger inter-sectoral coordination and the promotion of green finance, technology, innovation, and other solutions for greening Mongolia.
Promoting gender equality and women’s empowerment
As a fundamental human right, gender equality has been a top priority for UN Mongolia. To promote women’s leadership at the decision-making level, with the leadership of the UNDP, UN Mongolia provided crucial capacity building directly to over 27,000 beneficiaries nationwide, including aspiring women leaders and politicians, young voters, political party members, and journalists, all of whom would have a substantial impact on their communities and society in general.
The UN system also collectively led a campaign on combating gender-based violence in Mongolia. More than 34,000 people from over 260 public and private organizations joined this year’s campaign. They carried out various activities towards ending gender stereotypes, directly reaching over 1.3 million people through social media, traditional media, and other channels.
Completion of two joint programs
An important milestone in 2022 was the successful completion of two groundbreaking joint programs that facilitated the coordination of collective support from the UN system. The Integrated National Financing Framework (INFF) is a key vehicle for mobilizing, aligning, and leveraging resources for SDGs in Mongolia. On August 12, the National Committee for Sustainable Development, Mongolia’s top SDG governing body, fully endorsed the draft Integrated National Financing Strategy, which is now pending final approval from the Ministry of Finance.
A joint program on Shock Responsive Social Protection carried out by four UN agencies in 2020-2021, including the ILO as a lead, and UNFPA, UNICEF, and FAO, collectively contributed to a five percent increase in social and health insurance coverage among herders at the national level, according to the General Authority for Social Insurance. In the five target soums in Zavkhan Province, the program saw a 10 percent increase in coverage.
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12 January 2023
Enhancing social protection and disaster response in rural Mongolia
20th February 2020 in Tosontsengel soum, Zavkhan Province. The temperature is -30°C, and the air is fiercely cold at the herders’ camp in the snow-covered hilly countryside. The deep snow made it difficult to continue our journey in 4-Wheel Drive vehicles, requiring us to walk uphill to reach our final destination – the mountainside winter camp of a group of herding families.
This was my first experience with Mongolia’s cold, harsh winter after arriving in Mongolia as UN Resident Coordinator. The joint UN team, including UNICEF, UNFPA, ILO, and FAO, was on a mission to launch the first-ever joint UN program funded by the Joint SDG Fund in western Mongolia’s Zavkhan Province.
Mongolia, a vast, sparsely populated, landlocked country, is prone to multiple natural disasters and shocks induced by climate change. At the time of our site visit, Mongolia’s western region was experiencing dzud – a natural disaster of extremely harsh and icy winter conditions due to a dry summer, which causes livestock to die in vast numbers due to the cold and a lack of pasture feed and green fodder. We were also assessing the preparedness for the COVID-19 pandemic.
The timing couldn’t have been better for the launch of the UN’s Joint Programme (UNJP) on Social Protection to reduce the vulnerability of Mongolia’s herders, who make up one-third of the country’s population, to natural disasters and other shocks through comprehensive social protection measures.
A semi-nomadic lifestyle, constantly moving in search of better pastureland for their herds, makes Mongolian herders and their families most vulnerable to poverty, pushing them to further margins. They also face many challenges in accessing basic social services due to the nature of their lifestyle.
Extending social insurance coverage to herders
Social protection is a means to reduce the negative impact of any shocks induced by natural calamities. Our joint programme determined that enrolling herders in social insurance is an effective approach to extending their social protection. We found that less than 20 percent of herders enrolled in social insurance schemes, and only 40 percent had health insurance.
In our efforts to reverse the reluctance of herders to enrol in social insurance, we had to find innovative and non-traditional approaches while building on existing institutional frameworks and resources for a quick win. More creative incentives and flexible ways to pay the premium were highly encouraged among herder cooperatives.
Non-traditional partners such as the National Center for Lifelong Education (NCLE), cooperatives and pastureland user groups, trade unions, employer organizations, and social insurance offices were invited to partner with us in advocating for the benefits of the social insurance program. Herders who had benefited from social insurance were also good advocates.
With the approval of the amended Labour Law in 2021, the UNJP further promoted key principles of labour rights, including freedom of association and collective bargaining. The project supported the trade union in expanding its membership to assistant herders, which was elevated to a nationwide campaign with support from ILO.
Enhancing shock responsiveness
One of the gaps identified in Mongolia’s social protection system is shock responsiveness. When a shock hits, assistance should be immediately available to those who are hit hard and the most vulnerable. Children are among the first to be hit hard and need the most support.
Negative impacts on children can include mortality and injury from extreme weather events, as well as disruptions in school attendance, heightened risk of food insecurity, and malnutrition due to declining livelihoods.
Our team visited Munkhjargal’s family, with four children aged between 1-15 years old, living in the most challenging and coldest area of Zavkhan Province. They raised their animals in a remote mountainous area and earned seasonal income mostly from their livestock.
Many rural children who were at risk due to dzud benefited from the financial support. The families said the cash assistance was timely and useful, enabling them to take early action for their children to prevent further suffering.
Seeing the direct benefit of such interventions to reduce vulnerability, the Government of Mongolia scaled up the programme to all children in Mongolia up to 18 years of age as of December 2022.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, many people struggled through prolonged lockdowns, and Children’s Money was a means for many to survive hardships.
Using existing systems, the cash grant pilot went smoothly without causing additional burdens for the national and local social welfare systems. As the cash grant was not subject to any bank fees and not used to pay for household loans or interest payments, piloting the programme through the existing system was the least costly administrative solution for directly reaching beneficiaries and meeting their needs.
Therefore, it is ground-breaking in terms of taking early and timely action to protect the well-being of children from extreme weather events, which are increasing because of climate change.
Further benefits of shock-responsive social protection measures
It was my utmost pleasure to witness some of the impactful results at the event held toward the close of the project when I visited Zavkhan again in April 2022.
Ultimately, the project sought to increase herders’ resilience to shocks and vulnerability through sustainable interventions that will make them more independent in the long run. FAO supported Herders for enhancing resilience through the Resilience Index Measurement and Analysis (RIMA) tool One of these interventions was supporting their entrepreneurial skills and helping them set up start-ups led by UNFPA
Otgondemberel, a herder from Ikh-Uul, Zavkhan Province, presented some of his work to the UN Secretary-General when he visited Mongolia in August 2022. Thanks to support from the UN’s joint programme, he started a small project to process sheepskin and hides for animal husbandry products. He was able to earn extra income that helped him to purchase social insurance for himself and his family.
Looking back at the work completed by the project, 14 start-ups have already stood up on their feet, contributing to the betterment of the livelihood of herders. These start-ups benefited from the project’s business incubation service, including financial and marketing training for improved entrepreneurship skills.
While assisting herders with their hard skills, we needed to address their physical and social health by offering them life-skill training. Building their soft skills, like better communication, avoiding substance abuse, managing stress, awareness raising on sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights, and the prevention of gender-based violence, was an essential part of a holistic approach.
Through these practical approaches orchestrated by UN Mongolia, social and health insurance coverage increased by five per cent among herders at the national level, according to the General Authority for Social Insurance. In the five target soums in Zavkhan Province, the program saw a 10 percent increase in coverage.
Moreover, thanks to the SDG Joint Fund, the four UN agencies in Mongolia joined forces and pooled funds for greater coherence and stronger impact to make a difference in delivering a development program that aimed to improve the resilience of herders – one of the vulnerable groups at risk to be left behind. Each agency brought its best and unique assets to the successful implementation of the program. This proved that through a unified and collective offer, the UN system can fulfill the promise to bring about substantial positive change in its partner country.
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06 December 2022
Kana Endo: Voluntarism is a gate for you if you want to make a difference
Hello. I am Kana Endo, an international UNV from Japan at the UN’s Resident Coordinator Office (RCO) in Mongolia.
On this International Volunteer Day, please let me use this opportunity to introduce my UNV (United Nations Volunteers) experience in the hope to promote voluntarism among youths in Mongolia.
Currently, there are a national UNV and three international UNVs at United Nations in Mongolia. I am one of the international UNVs here, working as a Communication and Advocacy Assistant at the RCO in Mongolia from September 2022 to February 2023.
Looking back on my childhood, I liked learning new things but at the same time was very shy and introverted. However, I was very passionate about learning English and cultures in different countries. Therefore, I chose a high school with English course had been dreaming of one day studying abroad.
My childhood dream came true when I went to Oregon, the United States for starting my whole new life at Lane Community College in 2019. This was one of the most engaging and eye-opening experience in my life.
Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic impacted my plan to explore my future in the United States just as it disrupted many people’s lives and plans.
The pandemic stirred up some prejudice and discrimination against people from the Asian race in the United States. This has made a profound impact on me and made me rethink my future plans, which resulted in my return to Japan once.
Now, I am a senior student at Meiji Gakuin University in Japan majoring in international studies. I was transferred to this university from my college in the States the due to the hardships related to the pandemic.
Now, I am grateful for the life experiences and opportunities that influenced and helped shape my worldviews and set my life values, which I will use to the fullest.
I found more purpose and ambition to make more impact on the world we live in. Therefore, I jumped on the opportunity to join the UN Volunteers when I heard about this international opportunity to make a difference.
As mentioned earlier, even now I am an introverted and shy person, especially in the new environment and with people. However, it does not matter if you have some courage and passion about something to dive into a whole new world.
I believe that I am the only person who can change me and make things possible. For this reason, I always challenge myself even keeping away from my comfort zone to learn and improve myself.
As a volunteer, I support communication and advocacy at the RCO in Mongolia. To do so, I create visual content and messages on social platforms to raise awareness of global issues, as well as communicate on what the UN is doing in Mongolia.
One of the most challenging parts of my work is how to localize global topics and find the most effective and interactive ways to communicate with people. Moreover, I am doing the best I can and learning at the same time.
This UNV experience also validated my life goal and dream to serve in an international organization like the UN as I am majoring in international studies. Before joining the UNV program, I thought I was well aware and knowledgeable about global issues. However, I found out that there is so much to learn.
Joining the world’s largest organization – the UN – and seeing its work towards the global issues from inside gave me a different perspective. I am now more confident than ever that our actions and engagement as youth are more important to bring positive changes in our communities.
I am very grateful for the opportunities to engage with youths in Mongolia through different existing platforms within the UN in Mongolia, such as UNYAP (United Nations Youth Advisory Panel), Youth Delegate event by the UN Association, and the Model United Nations Event at the National University of Mongolia. I am amazed to see how youths here are highly active and committed to learning about global issues and taking action.
So far, my UNV experience here has been remarkably interesting and meaningful. Before joining RCO in United Nations Mongolia as a UNV, to be honest I never pictured myself living in Mongolia. Even though Mongolia and Japan are only five hours of flight away but just didn’t have any chance to visit this country.
In conclusion, my message to you is to challenge yourself to gain meaningful knowledge. Sometimes the decision that seems difficult will turn out to be the best opportunity for your growth and give you new perspectives. Be confident and try to take a step away from your comfort zone! With these, you might see a new world.
I am sure that UNV experience is one of the best ways to find your passion and skills. It is also a great chance to practice for your future career.
So, if you are interested in something and have a chance, please give it a try!
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16 June 2022
People for Peace: Brigadier General Bolor Ganbold
Every day, United Nations peacekeepers work to protect hundreds of thousands of vulnerable people in the world’s most fragile political and security situations. Civilian and uniformed personnel in peacekeeping missions support ceasefires, prevent and respond to violence, investigate human rights violations and abuses, and help build peace, recovery, and development in many conflict-affected countries. As Mongolia marks its 20 years of UN peacekeeping deployment by hosting an international conference on women in peacekeeping from 16th to 18th June 2022, we spoke to the country’s first woman General who is also a former Blue helmet.
Brigadier General Bolor Ganbold from Mongolia currently heads the Military Training and Education Department of the General Staff of the Mongolian Armed Forces. In 2010, she was deployed to the United Nations Mission in the Central African Republic and Chad (MINURCAT) and to the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) in 2013. She also worked as a Peacekeeping Affairs Officer within UN Peacekeeping’s Current Military Operations Service (CMOS) in New York after her peacekeeping deployments. Then-Colonel Ganbold was conferred the rank of Brigadier General on Mongolian Military Day (celebrated on March 18th), making her the country’s first female general.
“When I was a teenager, most people of my generation could not fully enjoy the freedom of choosing their own career paths. Instead, we were guided by our parents. Following that tradition, I chose the military school as my mother advised me to. Luckily,r when I graduated from high school, the Military University of Mongolia started recruiting female cadets for the first time.
An aspiration for young women
In 2010, I was deployed as the first Mongolian female staff officer to MINURCAT. Fast forward to March 2022, when I became my country’s first female general; I was proud of myself, but I was also feeling anxious. I knew this was bigger than me. It was an aspiration for thousands of uniformed female personnel in my country. I find it very valuable that young women can be inspired by my promotion and believe that they can achieve the same thing I did.
In a male-dominated environment, women (peacekeepers) help reduce and prevent friction and conflict and bring positive approaches to effectively address the needs of the communities, especially for women and girls during or after conflicts.
Women’s presence should no longer need to be justified
However, in my early deployments, I observed that Mongolia’s female peacekeepers faced various barriers preventing them from fully developing their potential as peacekeepers. For example, one of the significant problems experienced by female peacekeepers, especially in the military contingents, was that they were seldom allowed by their contingent leadership to leave the base to interact with the locals. Having access to the host communities is particularly important in principle, but in practice, it was very much restricted to inspiring, assisting, and engaging with the women in the peacekeeping compound. Therefore, it is important to allow more opportunities for female peacekeepers to perform the tasks that men do.
History shows us that there have been female warriors since ancient times, and there are women currently serving in conflict zones. However, men still outnumber women in the armed forces, and women are still too often confined to supportive roles rather than combat roles. This traditional gender roles attribution prevents women from being promoted and blocks them from advancing in careers and rank in the security sector.
Women’s presence should no longer need to be justified in peace operations.”
This story was first published on the UN Peacekeeping blog
Note of the editor: Mongolia currently deploys up to 890 uniformed personnel to UN peace operations, among which women make up 21.43% of their individual military officers and 7.77% of troops, in line with its commitment toward the implementation of the Women, Peace and Security agenda.
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26 September 2022
UN in Mongolia contributes to the “One Billion Trees” movement
This is a continuation of the UN Mongolia’s efforts to contribute to the reforestation and rehabilitation of the degraded forest, which started last year in dedication to the commemoration of the 60th anniversary of Mongolia’s membership in the UN.
While planting more trees, the UN staff have also watered and nurtured the trees that were planted last year, taking great delight to see them growing well and maturing.
With this commitment and collective action to the rehabilitation of degraded forests, the UN in Mongolia is proud to contribute to the noble movement of planting up to one billion trees nationwide, backed by the President of Mongolia.
For more images:
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?vanity=unmongolia&set=a.5478929055535109
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18 September 2022
SDG OPEN DAY showcases actions towards SDGs in Mongolia
SDG Open Day, held on 10 September at Ulaanbaatar’s Sukhbaatar Square, was packed with around 150 busy tents representing government agencies, non-governmental organizations, international development partners, and private entities promoting and celebrating their efforts to achieve the SDGs.
The opening ceremony was attended by dignitaries such as Minister of Economy and Development Ch. Khurelbaatar, Minister of Foreign Affairs B. Battsetseg, UN Resident Coordinator Tapan Mishra, President of the Mongolian National Chamber of Commerce and Industry O. Amartuvshin, foreign ambassadors, and representatives from international organizations, including UN agencies in Mongolia.
From recycling to labour rights, participating organizations shared their activities with the public. Many booths offered services on-site, including e-Mongolia, a digital platform for a range of public services, and counselling and legal advice in the SDG 5 Gender Equality tent.
From education to renewable energy, to climate action and peacebuilding, local SDG initiatives were creatively displayed and participants actively engaged with enthusiastic visitors.
As many as 5,000 people visited SDG Open Day and had the chance to learn about SDGs and be inspired for further actions.
Recycling in the Spotlight
Raising awareness about plastic pollution, Namuunaa Bayarjargal, a 16-year-old high school senior, stood at the center of the event, telling visitors about how to recycle or reuse trash.
She attends Erdmiin Urgoo, a public high school where all students sort or reuse their trash. Erdmiin Urgoo students displayed their repurposed items, including handmade paper, toys, and tools. They taught people how to make their own recycled paper to create flashcards and other useful items.
“Even though it was challenging to teach my parents, I worked part-time to show my commitment and bought different coloured garbage bags and bins to sort garbage at home. Now, my parents easily sort the garbage at home,” she proudly stated.
The event called for a collective presentation of local and citizen-led initiatives on plastic recycling and zero waste movements as side events highlighted at SDG Open Day.
Focus on Education
The non-profit organization All for Education exhibited photos depicting how education has become a key factor in expanding inequality. They delivered the message that the country needs to do more to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education for all.
Others, like Tomyo EdTech and Faro Foundation, representing the private sector and civil society, attracted many visitors with their initiatives to make education more inclusive by closing the digital literacy gap.
Gender Equality and Inclusion
The National Center Against Violence tent was busy with people seeking legal counsel, mental health counselling, and a definition of domestic violence.
Chuluundolgor Bat, head of the Wheelchair Users Association, said, “We spent an incredibly busy and productive day promoting the reproductive health rights of people with disabilities. We had to answer many questions, such as how others can be members of our organization and where to fix their wheelchairs.”
Members of the LGBT community had a tent to engage with the public to raise awareness and advocate for non-discrimination and inclusion.
Job Fair, Scholarships, and Digital Hubs
Featured events included a job fair connecting employers with their future employees and helpful services such as job profiling and career counselling.
Scholarship Hub was one of the most popular booths, offering information and services about 15 domestic and international scholarships.
The digital area impressed visitors with attractive presentations from leading tech companies, including Meta’s VR experiences and essential services available on the e-Mongolia platform.
SDG Champions Awarded
At the end of SDG Open Day, SDG Champions were awarded for their outstanding initiatives for the SDGs and Vision 2050, Mongolia’s long-term development policy. The event organizers presented these awards to acknowledge local initiatives, in recognition of individual, collective, and corporate initiatives designed to further inspire more action.
The SDG Champions:
The Eco-Schools and Kindergartens initiative, led by the Environment Information and Training Center was named the Academic Institution SDG Champion. The Eco-Schools and Kindergartens initiative has mobilized around 30 per cent of local schools and kindergartens through environmental education and advocacy for behavioural change in schools.
The National Federation of Pasture User Groups was named the Civil Society Organisation SDG Champion for their tireless efforts to restore rangeland health by raising awareness among herders to protect nomadic herding culture and pasture ecosystems.
The Mongolian Horse Paradise Initiative won the award for SDG Champion in the category for individuals leading sustainability actions. This initiative contributes to saving horses from slaughter and preserving nomadic culture, tapping into local tourism potential.
Blind Care, a mental health mobile application, won the SDG Champion award among the applicants from the private sector. Blind Care is a free app, and over 10,000 users have received mental health advice since its launch. The app contributes to dealing with mental health problems, one of the most pressing societal issues in Mongolia.
Among the many excellent entries, the judges’ panel recognized two more private sector initiatives. They gave the SDG Champion award to MCS Coca-Cola’s initiative for collecting and recycling plastic water and soft drink bottles. The second one was also presented to Shambala 2056, an engineering project working on building a green town in the Gobi equipped with renewable energy, smart agriculture systems, and tourism infrastructure.
In recognition of these initiatives, UN Mongolia is confident that others have been encouraged and inspired to follow in the footsteps of these champions to create a greener and more sustainable future for generations to come.
UN Resident Coordinator in Mongolia Tapan Mishra said that he is very pleased to see all great works and initiatives of the stakeholders in the implementation of the SDGs. “I am sure with this commitment, we will be able to achieve inclusive and sustainable development in Mongolia,” he added.
The piece was written by Khaliun Bayartsogt with support from Soyolmaa Dolgor, UN RCO Communications and Advocacy Officer.
More photo highlights from the SDG Open Day
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07 March 2022
A Sustainable Feminist Recovery
As the world moves ahead to mark International Women’s Day, the clock on women’s rights is moving backwards. All of us are paying the price.
The cascading crises of recent years have highlighted how women’s leadership is more crucial than ever.
Women have heroically confronted the COVID-19 pandemic as doctors, nurses, and public health and social care workers.
But at the same time, women and girls have been the first to lose out on jobs or schooling, taking on more unpaid care work, and facing skyrocketing levels of domestic and cyber abuse and child marriage.
The pandemic has highlighted even more starkly an age-old truth: the roots of patriarchy run deep. We still live in a male-dominated world with a male-dominated culture.
As a result, in good times or bad, women are more likely to fall into poverty. Their healthcare is sacrificed and their education and opportunities are curtailed.
And in countries enduring conflict — as we see from Ethiopia to Afghanistan to Ukraine -- women and girls are the most vulnerable but also the most compelling voices for peace.
As we look to the future, a sustainable and equal recovery for all is only possible if it is a feminist recovery — one that puts progress for girls and women at its centre.
We need economic progress through targeted investments in women’s education, employment, training and decent work. Women should be first in line for the 400 million jobs we are called to create by 2030.
We need social progress through investments in social protection systems and the care economy. Such investments yield huge dividends, creating green, sustainable jobs, while supporting members of our societies that need assistance, including children, older people and the sick.
We need financial progress, to reform a morally bankrupt global financial system, so all countries can invest in a woman-centred economic recovery. This includes debt relief and fairer tax systems that channel some of the massive pockets of wealth around the world to those who need it most.
We need urgent, transformative climate action, to reverse the reckless increase in emissions and gender inequalities that have left women and girls disproportionately vulnerable. Developed countries must urgently deliver on their commitments on finance and technical support for a just transition from fossil fuels. The successful, stable economies of the future will be green, gender-inclusive and sustainable.
We need more women in leadership in government and business, including finance ministers and CEOs, developing and implementing green and socially progressive policies that benefit all their people.
We know, for example, that having more women in parliaments is linked with stronger climate commitments and higher levels of investment in healthcare and education.
We need political progress through targeted measures that ensure women’s equal leadership and representation at all levels of political decision-making, through bold gender quotas.
Gender inequality is essentially a question of power. Uprooting centuries of patriarchy demands that power is equally shared across every institution, at every level.
At the United Nations, we have achieved — for the first time in the organization’s history — gender parity in senior management at headquarters and around the world. This has dramatically improved our ability to better reflect and represent the communities we serve.
Every step of the way, we can take inspiration from women and girls pushing for progress in every sphere and every corner of our globe.
Young women climate campaigners are leading global efforts to pressure governments to live up to their commitments.
Women’s rights activists are bravely demanding equality and justice, and building more peaceful societies as peacekeepers, peacemakers and humanitarians in some of the world’s trouble zones and beyond.
In societies where women’s rights movements are vibrant, democracies are stronger.
When the world invests in expanding opportunities for women and girls, all of humanity wins.
As a matter of justice, equality, morality and plain common sense, we need to turn the clock forward on women’s rights.
We need a sustainable, feminist recovery centred around — and driven by — women and girls.
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07 March 2022
Ten impacting works of the UN on promoting gender equality and women empowerment in Mongolia
UN Mongolia leads the collective fight against gender-based and domestic violence (GBV) - horrendous crimes against women and girls in Mongolia. UNFPA led the advocacy on ending GBV in Mongolia on multi-pronged approaches, including the creation of a strong and enabling legislative and policy environment backed by real-time evidence and data that brought this pressing issue to the public discourse. These joint efforts contributed to a decrease in the reported domestic violence (DV) cases by 32 per cent from 2016 to 2019. However, the current COVID 19 threatened to reverse this achievement. Total 17 One-Stop Service Centers (OSSCs) and 14 shelters for survivors of GBV are operating throughout the country and providing safe accommodations as well as health, psychological, legal, counselling and protection services. Cumulatively, these OSSCs and shelters served 17,957 clients, and 5,136 cases were handled by multi-disciplinary teams since its establishment. More about UNFPA Mongolia.
UNFPA has also led the UN’s support in strengthening national capacity to address maternal health and family planning, as well as sexual and reproductive health education in Mongolia. Thanks to the ground-breaking telemedicine project that significantly contributed to reducing maternal deaths, Mongolia became one of the only nine countries in the world to achieve the MDG 5 target. UN Mongolia together with partners collectively advocated the Government to increase the state funding for contraceptives for the vulnerable women and girls, resulting in allocation of annual MNT 1.8 billion since 2019, which has greatly increased the availability of family planning services. Since 2016, UNFPA has been working on enhancing the capacity of midwives in accordance with the international standard. Mongolia’s secondary schools offer comprehensive sexuality education as a compulsory part of the curricula. WHO’s working on mobilising resources for women’s health and resulted in increased funding of over MNT 1 billion in last 2 years. These funds were dedicated to improve quality of safe essential maternal health services for reproductive age women including disabled women across the country. WHO also leads the promotion of universal health coverage and health equity across the nation. Women are at the forefront of this initiative to address health issues prevalent within their own communities. Specific health campaigns such as “Breast Cancer” resulted in wider awareness raising of the growing cancer prevalence, resulting in early detection and prevention among the target population. More about WHO work in Mongolia UN Mongolia is collectively supporting Mongolia in the elimination of all forms of violence and harassment at the workplace including gender-based violence in public and private sector. Mongolian Parliament approved the revised version of Labour Law in July 2021, effective from January 1, 2022, highlighted the zero tolerance to violence and harassment including sexual harassment at work. ILO is leading in the prevalence study on violence and harassment at work, covering 4,000 employees in private and public sectors in 2021-2022. The study findings will pave the way for the Government of Mongolia to improve the national legislation further and take appropriate measures backed by evidence-based data. ILO is also calling on the government, workers and employers to join the force to stop violence and harassment in the world of work by ratifying the ILO Convention 190 concerning violence and harassment. Learn more about ILO work
IOM – the UN’s agency for migration works to advocate for equal rights in employment and mobility, combatting discriminatory migration practices and addressing risks and vulnerabilities of the gender relations of migration. Through IOM’s assistance, as of today, more than 23,000 female Mongolian migrants received assistance that was tailored to their needs and situations, including psychosocial support, employment-related support to marginalized migrants, documentation support, business management and skill development. Around 155 victims of trafficking were repatriated from abroad and over 600 victims of trafficking received direct and reintegration assistance. IOM has also helped over 4000 Mongolian women abroad to return home safely and successfully reintegrate in Mongolia. Learn more about IOM work UN Volunteers support UN Mongolia in multiple fronts, including invaluable support in the building capacity of women and girls, as well as of communities in the pursuit of gender equality. Meet Ms. Clemence Gallopin from Switzerland, who gave her time and heart to the vulnerable women and girls in Mongolia, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, during which Mongolia saw a surge in the GBV cases. She provided remote services guidelines for One-Stop-Service Centres that assisted survivors of gender-based violence during lockdowns and periods of restricted movement. Read more about Clemence’s story: Women are highly educated and present in all sectors, however, not yet sufficiently at the decision-making level. Here comes the UNDP’s wide-ranging engagement in the capacity building of the women politicians and women interested in politics and strengthening their support networks. UNDP works to strengthen the legal environment for women’s representation at the decision-making level as well as the supporting mechanisms for women to overcome structural and other factors for pursuing a career in public leadership. More and more women are empowered in the civil service leadership with UNDP’s support. UNDP plays a vital role in creating more gender-responsive budgeting and gender-responsive financing in the private sector. Learn more about UNDP’s work in Mongolia UN works on the ground to empower rural women to be economically active and contribute to the socio-economic development of Mongolia. One example is the “ger” kitchen initiative – a novel local value chain approach in employment opportunity and food security. FAO’s initiative mobilized 120 women in six soums of Selenge, Hovd, Huvsgul and Dornod to establish small dairy processing unit with capacity of 500 litres of milk processing per day. The products were provided to schools and kindergarten for mid-day meal, so that children benefit from healthy diet while at school. Learn more about FAO work in Mongolia UN-Habitat empowers female community leaders in the building of flood resilience in the communities of the urban suburbs in Mongolia. More than 130 women-led the community groups of 1176 members to address the adaptive capacities of the communities. Also 5933 community members with 64 per cent female representation were trained in community leadership, community action planning, community monitoring, disaster preparedness and climate change resilience building at community level. Learn more about this initiative by UN-Habitat UNICEF Mongolia’s work ranges far and wide in defending children’s rights in all forms. Its pilot initiative on reducing air pollution in Mongolia has brought a significant impact on women and their well-being. Distribution of CHIP (Cooking, heating and insulation products) packages to over 1000 households since 2019 replacing coal-fired stoves and insulating their gers has brought thermal comfort, reduced waste, and improved health for household members. Thanks to the CHIP packages, women could save up to 40 minutes a day for making fire and heating the house: this gave them more time to play with their children or cultivating their interests. More about UNICEF in Mongolia
UNFPA has also led the UN’s support in strengthening national capacity to address maternal health and family planning, as well as sexual and reproductive health education in Mongolia. Thanks to the ground-breaking telemedicine project that significantly contributed to reducing maternal deaths, Mongolia became one of the only nine countries in the world to achieve the MDG 5 target. UN Mongolia together with partners collectively advocated the Government to increase the state funding for contraceptives for the vulnerable women and girls, resulting in allocation of annual MNT 1.8 billion since 2019, which has greatly increased the availability of family planning services. Since 2016, UNFPA has been working on enhancing the capacity of midwives in accordance with the international standard. Mongolia’s secondary schools offer comprehensive sexuality education as a compulsory part of the curricula. WHO’s working on mobilising resources for women’s health and resulted in increased funding of over MNT 1 billion in last 2 years. These funds were dedicated to improve quality of safe essential maternal health services for reproductive age women including disabled women across the country. WHO also leads the promotion of universal health coverage and health equity across the nation. Women are at the forefront of this initiative to address health issues prevalent within their own communities. Specific health campaigns such as “Breast Cancer” resulted in wider awareness raising of the growing cancer prevalence, resulting in early detection and prevention among the target population. More about WHO work in Mongolia UN Mongolia is collectively supporting Mongolia in the elimination of all forms of violence and harassment at the workplace including gender-based violence in public and private sector. Mongolian Parliament approved the revised version of Labour Law in July 2021, effective from January 1, 2022, highlighted the zero tolerance to violence and harassment including sexual harassment at work. ILO is leading in the prevalence study on violence and harassment at work, covering 4,000 employees in private and public sectors in 2021-2022. The study findings will pave the way for the Government of Mongolia to improve the national legislation further and take appropriate measures backed by evidence-based data. ILO is also calling on the government, workers and employers to join the force to stop violence and harassment in the world of work by ratifying the ILO Convention 190 concerning violence and harassment. Learn more about ILO work
IOM – the UN’s agency for migration works to advocate for equal rights in employment and mobility, combatting discriminatory migration practices and addressing risks and vulnerabilities of the gender relations of migration. Through IOM’s assistance, as of today, more than 23,000 female Mongolian migrants received assistance that was tailored to their needs and situations, including psychosocial support, employment-related support to marginalized migrants, documentation support, business management and skill development. Around 155 victims of trafficking were repatriated from abroad and over 600 victims of trafficking received direct and reintegration assistance. IOM has also helped over 4000 Mongolian women abroad to return home safely and successfully reintegrate in Mongolia. Learn more about IOM work UN Volunteers support UN Mongolia in multiple fronts, including invaluable support in the building capacity of women and girls, as well as of communities in the pursuit of gender equality. Meet Ms. Clemence Gallopin from Switzerland, who gave her time and heart to the vulnerable women and girls in Mongolia, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, during which Mongolia saw a surge in the GBV cases. She provided remote services guidelines for One-Stop-Service Centres that assisted survivors of gender-based violence during lockdowns and periods of restricted movement. Read more about Clemence’s story: Women are highly educated and present in all sectors, however, not yet sufficiently at the decision-making level. Here comes the UNDP’s wide-ranging engagement in the capacity building of the women politicians and women interested in politics and strengthening their support networks. UNDP works to strengthen the legal environment for women’s representation at the decision-making level as well as the supporting mechanisms for women to overcome structural and other factors for pursuing a career in public leadership. More and more women are empowered in the civil service leadership with UNDP’s support. UNDP plays a vital role in creating more gender-responsive budgeting and gender-responsive financing in the private sector. Learn more about UNDP’s work in Mongolia UN works on the ground to empower rural women to be economically active and contribute to the socio-economic development of Mongolia. One example is the “ger” kitchen initiative – a novel local value chain approach in employment opportunity and food security. FAO’s initiative mobilized 120 women in six soums of Selenge, Hovd, Huvsgul and Dornod to establish small dairy processing unit with capacity of 500 litres of milk processing per day. The products were provided to schools and kindergarten for mid-day meal, so that children benefit from healthy diet while at school. Learn more about FAO work in Mongolia UN-Habitat empowers female community leaders in the building of flood resilience in the communities of the urban suburbs in Mongolia. More than 130 women-led the community groups of 1176 members to address the adaptive capacities of the communities. Also 5933 community members with 64 per cent female representation were trained in community leadership, community action planning, community monitoring, disaster preparedness and climate change resilience building at community level. Learn more about this initiative by UN-Habitat UNICEF Mongolia’s work ranges far and wide in defending children’s rights in all forms. Its pilot initiative on reducing air pollution in Mongolia has brought a significant impact on women and their well-being. Distribution of CHIP (Cooking, heating and insulation products) packages to over 1000 households since 2019 replacing coal-fired stoves and insulating their gers has brought thermal comfort, reduced waste, and improved health for household members. Thanks to the CHIP packages, women could save up to 40 minutes a day for making fire and heating the house: this gave them more time to play with their children or cultivating their interests. More about UNICEF in Mongolia
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Story
23 February 2022
Building herders’ resilience to shocks through social insurance scheme
“I’ve been herding for 15 years. However, these years were not recorded as employment and I hadn’t paid any social insurance towards a pension fund,” said sixty-years old Mr. Budarakh Avildolda from soum (provincial lower administrative unit), Tsengel soum, Bayan-Ulgii province. “Now I am not eligible to an old-age pension at my retirement.”
Herding is accounted as informal and self-employment, thus herders are expected to contribute voluntarily to social insurance schemes in Mongolia. However, the majority of Mongolian herders (almost 85 per cent), who make up the third of the entire population, missed out on the benefits of social insurance in the case of Mr. Buldarakh.
Most of such low rate is due to a lack of knowledge of herders about social insurance and its benefits.
UN’s joint programme on extending social protection to herders sees that enrolling herders in the social insurance scheme is a way to prevent herders from further vulnerabilities to poverty and climate-related shocks. Therefore, the programme sees the importance of informing the herders about the benefits of social and health insurance schemes.
Training social insurance officers and peer-to-peer learning
One of the conventional and effective ways to reach out to the herders, who live scattered in remote areas relies on the social insurance officers.
During his mission to introduce and advocate herders for voluntary social insurance in the summer of 2021, Mr. Altanbek, social insurance officer of Tsengel soum, Bayan-Ulgii province explained Mr. Buldarakh the opportunity that he could retroactively contribute to the social insurance, which was allowed by an amendment to social insurance law in 2017, effective until the end of 2021.
The benefits of social insurance are not limited to the old-age pension only. In Mongolia, the voluntary social insurance scheme benefits include invalidity pension, survivor’s benefit, a benefit for temporary loss of the work ability, maternity benefit, funeral grant, work ability restoration allowances, and rehabilitation payments.
Herders are more vulnerable to climate-driven shocks such as dzud (severe winter that causes the death of animals), floods, and dust storms. Such circumstances put them at risk of occupational injuries in the field.
Mr. Batsaikhan Dovoo, a herder from Ider soum, Zavkhan province received compensation for his injuries in his leg and shoulder when he fell off a camel while herding his flocks. This was possible thanks to his wife, Amarbayasgalan Niisuren, who learned more about the benefits of social insurance from the peer-to-peer learning offered through the UN’s joint programme. Although they had been enrolled in voluntary social insurance for 17 years, they didn’t know about other benefits like compensation for injuries which resulted in temporary loss of his work ability.
Infusing information and knowledge about the benefits of social and health insurance wasn’t enough to get more herders to get voluntarily covered. Some herders simply lack the cash to pay the insurance premium.
Exploring non-conventional ways to increase social insurance coverage among herders
The programme tested other innovative approaches to increase herders’ coverage, especially of the vulnerable herders, in the social and health insurance. Herders’ self-organisations like cooperatives and pasture-user groups were instrumental in this pilot action.
Herders with fewer animals and a lack of cash and income to cover their insurance premium benefited from the joint efforts by their cooperatives. Herders would pay non-cash payments such as livestock and raw materials as insurance premiums to the cooperatives.
Ms. Byambatseren Sengejav, a chairwoman of the local herders’ cooperative “Khatan Ider” in Ider soum, Zavkhan province was trained as a local advocate for introducing the benefits of social insurance to the cooperative members and herders in her soum.
“Because it was more one-on-one interactive discussions, herders were more engaged,” said Byambatseren, who enthusiastically advocated to increase coverage of social insurance, which would come to their “rescue” in times of unprecedented crisis.
Supporting herders’ entrepreneurship skills and skills to generate more income would be an effective way to support herders’ resilience and prosperity. As such, the UN’s joint programme successfully explored “Herders’ Programme” with extensive content to provide knowledge on livestock production including dairy, hide and skin, meat processing as well as life skills such as sexual and reproductive health rights and prevention from gender-based violence.
Strengthening national capacity in shock-responsive social protection
Two-years of joint efforts by four UN agencies in the period of 2020-2021, including ILO as a lead, and UNFPA, UNICEF and FAO, have collectively contributed to the increase the social and health insurance coverage by five per cent among herders at the national level according to the General Authority for Social Insurance. However, at the five target soums in Zavkhan province, the UN joint programme saw an increase of social and health coverage by 10 per cent among the herders.
This has demonstrated that such achievement can be done through a partnership – not only among the UN agencies, but also with national and local government, private sector, trade unions, and other stakeholders including herders themselves.
With exemplary results and evidence from pilot activities, proving that innovative and rigorous efforts could potentially increase national coverage of herders in the social protection scheme, the joint program further advocates for mainstreaming shock-responsiveness into the national social protection system.
UN Mongolia’s joint programme “Extending Social Protection to Herders with Enhanced Shock Responsiveness” is one of the first joint efforts by UN entities in the country collectively addressing pressing issues in Mongolia’s social protection system. It aimed to offer evidence-based solutions to the most strategic and transformative policy challenges in the national social protection system. This joint programme was funded by the Joint SDG Fund – UN’s inter-agency, pooled mechanism for integrated policy support and strategic financing.
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Written by Soyolmaa Dolgor, UN RCO Communications and Advocacy Officer with the support of Ms Javkhlan Bold-Erdene, a communications consultant from ILO Mongolia.
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Press Release
17 March 2023
The joint cooperation framework for Mongolia and the UN in Mongolia for 2023-2027 enters into full swing
The JSC monitors progress, challenges, risks, and opportunities, and steers the direction of implementation of the UNSDCF in the next five years.
The JSC meeting also reviewed the results of the previous the Cooperation Framework, known as UN Development Assistance Framework, implemented from 2017 to 2022.
The JSC members concluded that the UN development assistance carried out in the last six years was instrumental to support Mongolia’s development, supporting the Government’s Action Plan, Vision 2050 – Mongolia’s long-term development policies, increasing Mongolia’s contributions to the achievement of the SDGs, and strengthening Mongolia’s roles and commitment to the international communities.
The JSC members also discussed and endorsed the Joint workplan to be carried out within the UNSDCF, paving the wave for the full implementation of the new cooperation framework in the next five years.
At the JSC meeting, UN Resident Coordinator Tapan Mishra reminded the members that 2023 is the mid-point year for Sustainable Development Agenda – 2030, and the UN will take stock of the progress towards SDGs at the SDGs Summit to be held in Sep 2022 in New York. Heading up to the Summit, Mongolia will also present its second Voluntary National Report on the implementation of the SDGs at the High-level Political Forum in July.
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Press Release
07 March 2023
Joint Statement of the UN in Mongolia on the occasion of International Women’s Day
However, the inclusion of women and girls and their safety in the digital space must be prioritized to ensure that the benefits of digital transformation are enjoyed by all equally.
This year’s International Women’s Day sheds a spotlight on the potential of innovation and technology in reducing inequalities and closing gender gaps.
While advancements in digitalization are transforming economies, industries, and societies, women and girls are often being left behind, or worse, harmed by them.
Though Mongolia is making steady progress toward advancing gender equality, the road ahead to full realization of gender equality remains long and arduous. Current global and local crises, including health emergencies, climate change, food insecurity, and cost-of-living crises, are exacerbating the existing inequalities and deeply impacting Mongolia’s most vulnerable, including female-headed households and rural women. Information and communication technologies (ICT) are essential and can play an instrumental role in strengthening their resilience.
Women and girls in Mongolia continue to face widespread discrimination and violence offline and online, unequal access to technology, finance, healthcare, employment, salary and compensation, and decision-making. Cultural and social norms that reinforce gender stereotypes, significantly threaten women’s participation in digital and public spaces and leave tremendous, often irreversible harm on the mental health, well-being, and safety of women and girls.
There is a substantial divide when it comes to education and employment in the ICT sector in Mongolia. For instance, male students comprise 73 percent of graduates in information technology of total university graduates as of 2022.
We must address these issues with a multi-faceted and concerted approach by challenging harmful gender norms and developing an enabling environment that ensures women and girls have equal access to technology, skills, employment, and opportunities to fully participate in the digital economy.
We call on all Mongolian men and women, boys and girls to join the UN in Mongolia in realizing our common vision for an inclusive, sustainable, and prosperous Mongolia where:
a girl grows and thrives in a safe and healthy environment without any forms of violence, neglect, or exploitation, and pursues any career, including one in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM), should she choose to do so;
a professional woman gets compensated fairly and equally according to her skills, not by her gender;
a woman entrepreneur trades at a high level and on improved terms benefiting from the digital economy;
a migrant woman enjoys decent socioeconomic opportunities without being left behind;
a herdswoman plays an active role in rural development;
a girl and woman feel their voices are heard, and a woman enjoys equal participation at the decision-making level at home and in public
a young woman makes her own decision regarding her health and body without being harassed;
the rights and welfare of healthcare workers (80%+ are women) are protected and supported.
We call on the Government of Mongolia and all of our partners to work together to ensure women and girls are not left behind or their safety or well-being is compromised when utilizing technology and innovation to accelerate Mongolia’s sustainable development.
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Press Release
14 February 2023
World Export Development Forum 2023 to spotlight green, digital trade
Launching WEDF 2023
This year marks the 20th WEDF, which talks trade, does business and drives development. It is unique for bringing together the voice of small business, women, young entrepreneurs, policymakers and international organizations.
ITC Executive Director Pamela Coke-Hamilton and H.E. Davaasuren Gerelmaa, Ambassador of Mongolia in Geneva, will announce the conference at a hybrid launch event on 15 February at ITC headquarters.
Ms. Coke-Hamilton said: ‘Small businesses play a key role in shifting away from commodity-driven economies. Young entrepreneurs and women-led businesses are part of a more sustainable way forward. With Mongolia as our host, we look forward to convening leaders across the world to explore how to diversify with green trade and build more resilient societies.’
Ambassador Gerelmaa said: ‘As the WEDF host, we look forward to engaging with global leaders to find common solutions to the challenges we’re facing, to create a greener, more connected and inclusive future of trade.’
Join for the hybrid launch event on 15 February 2023 at 10:00-11:00 CET / 17:00-18:00 UTC+8.
Highlighting the business voice: LLDCs, women and youth
WEDF will host an LLDC Private Sector Preparatory Meeting for the 2024 Landlocked Developing Countries Ministerial Conference. This WEDF side event takes place on 26 June, so that LLDC businesses include their aspirations formally in UN channels. The conclusions then will be brought to a WEDF plenary and submitted formally as part of the UN Ministerial process.
Also on 26 June, a SheTrades Mongolia Hub will be launched. This hub joins 11 other national hubs around the world, which provide training and policy advice to women in business, especially those led by women.
A young entrepreneurs pitch competition on 27 June will include finalists from several countries, including Mongolia.
Focusing on small business
The World Export Development Forum’s official opening takes place on 27 June, which is also World Micro, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises Day.
Small businesses are key to trade-led growth, job creation and smooth global value chains. In Mongolia, as in most other economies, small firms form the backbone of the economy, representing about three-quarters of the total workforce, with women making up a large share of entrepreneurs. Enabling more small businesses to connect to international markets ensures that the gains from trade are more broadly distributed.
WEDF 2023 plenaries take place on 27 and 28 June, focusing on current issues shaping global trade and business, from paths to diversify trade to scaling up youth entrepreneurship in new sectors, trade megatrends for landlocked developing countries, green trade, digital services and access to finance.
Capacity building training on organic and digital trade, specifically targeted to Mongolian small firms, rounds out the programme on 29 June.
Previous editions of WEDF have been held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (2019), Lusaka, Zambia (2018), Budapest, Hungary (2017), Colombo, Sri Lanka (2016), Doha, Qatar (2015), Kigali, Rwanda (2014), Jakarta, Indonesia (2012), Istanbul, Turkey (2011) and Chongqing, China (2010).
Register for WEDF and stay up to date as the programme evolves at: http://www.intracen.org/wedf
About the International Trade Centre - The International Trade Centre is the joint agency of the World Trade Organization and the United Nations. ITC assists small and medium-sized enterprises in developing and transition economies to become more competitive in global markets, thereby contributing to sustainable economic development within the frameworks of the Aid-for-Trade agenda and the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.
For more information, visit www.intracen.org.
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Media contacts
Susanna Pak
Senior Strategic Communications Officer
International Trade Centre
E: pak@intracen.org
T: +41 22 730 0651
M: +41 79 667 4660
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Press Release
23 January 2023
Dzud in Mongolia: Critical to act early and protect herders’ livelihoods
Heavy snowfalls in winter following a severe drought in summer cause animals to perish due to a lack of grazing pastures. Herders also wouldn’t be able to prepare hay and fodder to survive through the harsh winter in dry summers. Therefore, the Government of Mongolia calls for early actions and response to protect the livelihoods of the herder households.
“It is vital to take early prevention measures to minimize the impacts of any anticipated hardships and disasters on vulnerable people,” Tapan Mishra, UN Resident Coordinator in Mongolia said at the meeting held by the Humanitarian Country Team (HCT) in Mongolia, consisting of international development and humanitarian organizations.
“Therefore, the HCT will effectively coordinate their collective efforts for dzud response and early preventive actions under the leadership of the Government.”
Responding to the appeal from the Government, the HCT has mobilized needed funds and resources to elevate the suffering of herders and the loss of more animals. Some of these responses would include animal fodder for the most vulnerable herder households while others would receive cash support and health packages.
Dzud, the severe winter situation coupled with economic challenges caused by the pandemic and international crises, and the accompanying increase in commodity and fuel prices, make it more difficult for many Mongolian herders to get through the winter and spring with low risk, according to the analysis by the Government.
The Humanitarian Country Team stands ready to provide needed support for the Government of Mongolia by pooling its funds and available resources. Moreover, the Country Team focuses on early preventive actions to build stronger resilience of herders in times of shocks caused by natural and humanitarian crises.
Mongolia snapshot: Severe Winter - Dzud (2022 - 2023), As of 18 January 2023 by OCHA
UNICEF Mongolia Representative Evariste Kouassi-Komlan, who is currently on a mission to the western region, reports that many herder families are severely affected by the dzud and experience hardships to access health and education services.
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Press Release
02 December 2022
Giving a voice to people with disabilities
Ulaanbaatar – Today, the United Nations in Mongolia held a consultative meeting with people with disabilities in Mongolia, marking the International Day of People with Disabilities on 3 December. “This meeting is very timely for the UN system in Mongolia as we are entering into the implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework for the next five years, starting from 2023”, said Mr. Tapan Mishra in his welcoming remarks. “UN Country Team members discussed opportunities for further partnerships and engagement with disability-focused civil society organizations and other stakeholders in order to effectively engage and advocate for the rights of people with disabilities and learn their challenges and priorities.” The UN in Mongolia also invited Mr. Ch. Undrakhbayar, Social Policy Advisor to Prime Minister, Ms. S. Tungalagtamir, Head of Population Development Department, and other government officials from relevant ministries and agencies to bring all key players on board for creating a more inclusive and equitable policy for people with special needs. Mr. Ch. Undrakhbayar highlighted some of the key policies and measures by the Government within its New Revival Policy that aimed at the well-being of people with special needs. He emphasized the importance of public and private sector partnerships for a more inclusive development policy that leaves no one behind.
This year’s theme of the International Day of People with Disabilities highlights the transformative solutions for inclusive development: the role of innovation in fueling an accessible and equitable world. Along this line, Mr. Undrakhbyar also introduced some of the policies reforms, and measures that aimed to make ICT services accessible for people with disabilities. This includes Government’s digital transformation initiatives such as the e-Mongolia platform that will make public services more and easily accessible for people with special needs. Among the invitees were the broad representatives from the civil society organizations who are actively advocating for the rights of their constituencies. Mr. Ya. Avirmed, head of the Tugeemel Khugjil NGO presented the preliminary findings of the monitoring of the housing rights of persons with disabilities in Mongolia, commissioned by the UN in Mongolia in 2022. Limited access to decent and affordable housing has been identified as a pressing issue as many of them live in ger areas that are not connected to central heating, water supply, and sewage system. Mr. N. Tamirkhuu, a member of the PwD community, stressed that the housing policies and mortgage procedures are not prioritizing the vulnerable strata of the population including people with disabilities. Participants also raised other challenges that people with disabilities face including the lack of labour rights implementation and access to education and basic infrastructure. Some of the notable solutions discussed include improving government policies through innovative financial mechanisms and enhancing employment opportunities to enable their economic status to qualify for mortgage loans. It was a timely consultative meeting for the UN Country Team to listen to the voice of people with disabilities and understand their needs, challenges, and priorities. The UN Country Team is committed to contributing to tackling some of the pressing issues within the new phase of our Cooperation Framework to promote a more inclusive and equitable development in Mongolia.
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Resources
14 July 2022
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