2021 Year in Review: 10 Highlights from the UN Mongolia

2021 has been a year like no other. The devastating COVID-19 pandemic threatened the hard-won development gains of Mongolia. We have been challenged in all possible ways. But we rose up and stood firmly together to address the unprecedented challenges. The United Nations team in Mongolia, would like to highlight 10 milestones of this year that we are proud to have achieved together along with the Government of Mongolia and our dedicated partners to support the Mongolian people.

1. Joint UN support to COVID-19 Vaccination and Prevention and Management

Mongolia has done an outstanding job in the vaccination of its population. Today, over 90 per cent of the target population has been fully vaccinated against the COVID-19 while almost 50 per cent has received the 3rd dose. The UN Mongolia provided the much-needed support in the curb of the COVID-19 pandemic through multi-pronged responses by:

• Procurement and delivery of COVID-19 vaccines through the COVAX facility and funding from Japan and the USA

• Expansion of the cold chain capacity and building a new central vaccine storage facility at the National Centre for Communicable Diseases in Mongolia

• Effective support and coordination of the national vaccination campaign, training of front-line healthcare workers and provision of much-needed medical supplies, as well as improved public health communication

2. Supporting Mongolia in the transition to remote and e-learning for the school children

A joint UN Mongolia programme addressed the immediate needs of providing e-learning, enhancing e-content development of core curriculum subjects including health education, and improving education policy in Mongolia, adapted to remote and online learning when the country closed all levels of schools due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

• Development of Interactive online learning content, available in ethnic minority languages and accessible for children with disabilities
• Development of offline learning contents and distribution of equipment to remote herder family children and underprivileged children

3. UN Mongolia’s collective support in the response and recovery from the socio-economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic

UN Mongolia’s support wasn’t limited to the health responses only. UN entities in Mongolia collectively supported the Government of Mongolia in the recovery from the socio-economic impact of the COVID-19 by:

• supporting the return of more than 1100 vulnerable Mongolians who were stranded abroad and over 60,000 stranded internally due to COVID-19 related travel restrictions.
• assisting the Government in re-opening the borders to function under the “new reality” of COVID-19
• training frontline social workers in providing social services to the most vulnerable groups of the society through innovative digital platforms
• providing support to disrupted value chains including the cashmere and dairy sectors to provide income opportunities for herders and women amidst the pandemic
• conducting several COVID-19 socio-economic impact studies on target populations
• delivering food and non-food assistance to over 2,500 vulnerable households in ger areas affected by COVID-19 restrictions

4. UN’s contribution to the acceleration of the Sustainable Development Goals in Mongolia

Mongolia made a renewed commitment to accelerating the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at the first-ever High-level National Forum on the SDGs on 4th October 2021.

• The National Targets and Indicators for the SDGs were elaborated
• Reinvigorated the National Council for Sustainable development
• Established the Multistakeholder Council for Sustainable Development by the Sub-Committee of the Parliament

5. Comprehensive Common Country Analysis paves the way for the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework for Mongolia

As a precursor to the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) for 2023-2027, UN Mongolia Country Team developed a comprehensive Common Country Analysis with the engagement of all stakeholders including the highest levels of the Government, and extensive consultation with all partners such as development partners, civil society, academia, and private sector.

• CCA is a comprehensive analysis of the national development landscape and SDG priorities and gaps based on the principles to leave no one behind, human rights-based approach, gender equality and women’s empowerment.
• The UNSDCF will emphasize “development cooperation” with the Government and partners rather than “development assistance”

6. Mongolia’s commitments and participation in the UN Food Systems Summit

Mongolia renewed its commitment to make the national food system safer, stronger, and more sustainable at the first-ever high-level National Food System Dialogue. More than 500 policymakers, farmers, youth, civil society groups, food producers, academics, and other stakeholders from all over the country participated in a series of 12 dialogues nationwide.

The National Food Systems Dialogue prioritized:

• access to safe and nutritious food and promotion of sustainable consumption
• advance equitable livelihoods and value distribution
• nature-positive production

7. Mongolia pioneered in defending Human Rights Defenders in the region

The Parliament of Mongolia adopted the Law on the Legal Status of the Human Rights Defenders in April 2021, making it the first country in Asia to provide a framework of protection for people who speak out on human rights concerns and violations.

• UN Mongolia collectively supported the Government of Mongolia and the CSOs in taking steps to improve their human rights situation and to fulfil their human rights obligations.

8. Visit of the Special Rapporteur on Violence against women to Mongolia 

UN Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women paid a visit to Mongolia and advised to accelerate the translation of laws on violence against women into reality in Mongolia. Her preliminary findings conclude:

• Mongolia has set a legal framework to tackle gender-based violence through laws on domestic violence, trafficking in people, gender equality, and witness and victim protection, etc.
• Mongolia must ensure effective implementation of these laws throughout the country.

9. The new Labour Law represents significant improvement of legal framework governing employment relations and conditions of work.

In 2021, the Parliament of Mongolia has approved the new revised version of labour law extending its coverage, better aligning with international labour standards, orienting towards market economy and regulating newly emerging labour relations such as working from distance and in rosters. The new labour law requires employers to create a working environment that does not tolerate harassment, violence, and sexual harassment. 

• The UN has provided a wide range of support, including technical advice to align the law in line with international labour standards and best practices, a tripartite dialogue between government, workers and employers, and the promotion of promoted fundamental principles and rights at work, as well as strengthening the capacity of government officials and relevant stakeholders.

10. The celebration of the 60th Anniversary of Mongolia’s membership in the UN

2021 marked the historical milestone of the 60th anniversary of Mongolia’s membership to the United Nations, becoming the 101st member in 1961. To celebrate this special occasion, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Mongolia and the United Nations Country Team in Mongolia jointly launched the “UN Week” campaign in October 2021 to promote the significance of this historical event to the Mongolian public.