Shaping the Future: Equipping Mongolian Youth with 21st Century Skills

Mongolia is considered a country of young people, with nearly one-third of the population comprised of vibrant and ambitious youth. Growing up in a developing country where young people witnessed both challenges and opportunities, they have great potential to lead the nation toward a more sustainable future when equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge. 

Despite Mongolia's significant progress on multiple Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), challenges remain in certain areas. Yet, “Youth can be a solution to our problems as they are a powerhouse and the main driver of positive change,” said Mr. Tapan Mishra, United Nations Resident Coordinator in Mongolia.

That’s why the UN Mongolia Country Team and its agencies have made collaborative efforts in recent years to empower youth through various educational and skills-building initiatives. 

UNICEF Mongolia: Young Girls Lead Mongolia’s Ambition to Become a Digital Nation

16-year-old Miss. G.Anujin, a talented young mind, is one of the 30 girls selected for the Girls Code program supported by UNICEF Mongolia. Miss. Anujin has always been passionate about technology and computer science and wants to become a software engineer like her brother. “But I had no idea where to start or whom to ask for help. That’s why I was so excited to hear that I got accepted into the program,” she said with a big smile.

The program is designed to empower young girls from all over Mongolia by teaching fundamentals of coding, English language, and STEM skills, with a broader influence on reducing gender inequality in the telecommunication and ITC sectors. All selected girls participated in a two-month-long intensive boot camp where they received basic coding lessons under the guidance of teachers from the School of Information and Communication Technology of the Mongolian University of Science and Technology. 

Along with longer hours of studying and hard work to learn new skills, Miss. Anujin made good friends with other girls. 

“I was surprised to learn that most girls were from rural areas, a thousand kilometers away from the capital city. Besides, they face many obstacles to having a quality education, such as a lack of digital devices and internet connectivity; the girls had excellent leadership skills and dedication to become IT engineers,” she added.

During the program, participants received mentoring from industry professionals and made field trips to Mongolian leading technology companies, where they gained valuable perspectives from those working in the field. According to Miss. Anujin, the most beneficial aspect of the whole program was developing websites based on the knowledge and skills acquired in the boot camp.

This innovative initiative allows girls to recognize endless opportunities in STEM fields and truly inspires them to pursue ICT sector careers. Mongolia is putting effort into becoming a Digital Nation in the near future, and the girls are indeed future tech leaders.

UNFPA Mongolia: Transformative Initiatives help youth’s future to shine brightly

Miss. E. Enkh-Ujin, a bright and ambitious child, is among the many who visit the Youth Development Center in Murun soum, Khuvsgul province. Since attending the Robokid training under the UNITEL HUB programme, she has assembled 20 types of robots, written code, and grasped the basic principles of electronics. Enkh-Ujin mentioned that the most captivating aspect of the course is the opportunity to test the theory taught in class in real life.

Since 2013, UNFPA has established Youth Development Centers across Mongolia to provide youth and adolescents with life skills education, support development, and create opportunities for productive use of their free time. This initiative, continued by the Mongolian government, has resulted in a total of 45 centers in all aimags and districts, and in some soums, where youth development is supported and empowered.

The Youth Development Centers have become popular spots for local adolescents and young people to spend their free time, study, and develop together. As a continuation of this initiative, UNFPA partnered with Unitel Group, a leading technology company in Mongolia, to establish UNITEL HUB in 12 provinces. UNITEL HUB offers programming courses, such as assembling robots and writing code, to develop the technical skills of adolescents and young people and provide a basic understanding of electronics. It also offers resources on sexual and reproductive health, as well as other online content, helping youth spend their free time productively and develop themselves.

Since its establishment in 2023, a total of 700 adolescents and young people, including 110 girls, have participated in programming courses. Additionally, teachers from the Youth Development Centers are being trained and empowered as trainers to teach these courses.

Even in remote areas where winter temperatures drop to negative 50 degrees, the future of adolescents and young people shines brightly. They eagerly explore new horizons, delve into the reasons behind phenomena, and access education and knowledge equally, contributing to their development.

ILO Mongolia: Youth engagement to tackle labour dispute challenges 

Mr. B. Sanjaa, a member of the Youth Committee of the Confederation of Mongolian Trade Unions, recently emerged as a winner of the Digital Solution Hackathon for Decent Work, organized by the International Labour Organization (ILO). Supported by the EU-funded "SDG-aligned Budgeting to Transform Employment in Mongolia" project, the hackathon aimed to boost knowledge and awareness of labor rights among youth aged 18-34.

For Mr. Sanjaa, this initiative is deeply personal. Reflecting on his own experiences, he shared, 

"When I got my first job, I had no understanding of labor rights and signed an employment contract without fully realizing what it entailed. Unfortunately, six months later, I was laid off and had to navigate labor disputes." 

Motivated by his story, Mr. Sanjaa and his team developed a project aimed at promoting freedom of association among young employees working in CU franchise convenience stores across Ulaanbaatar.

As part of the project’s implementation, a survey was conducted to assess labor relations challenges among staff at the Bayangol District branches of CU convenience stores. Based on the findings, 30 employees participated in a tailored training program designed to enhance their skills and address the key labor issues identified.

For their innovative efforts, Mr. Sanjaa’s team was awarded a $2,000 prize to further develop their initiative. Reflecting on his hackathon experience and field research, he emphasized the tough realities many young people face in the workforce. According to the ILO's 2024 World Economic and Social Outlook Trends report, young people aged 15 to 24 are 3.5 times more likely to be unemployed than adults. Often, young workers accept low-paying jobs under poor conditions just to gain work experience, putting them in a difficult position where they must choose between bad jobs or no jobs at all, as highlighted in the ILO’s 2024 guide on youth rights at work.

Mr. Sanjaa believes that addressing these challenges requires active youth participation. "Solving this challenge is only possible through youth involvement and initiative," he said. 

"We, as young people, can't sit back and watch. We need to face the challenge, engage, and find solutions. The future of work demands that we have skills essential to the emerging economy, including decent work, green jobs, and digital competencies. We must be united in creating a positive work environment for every young person in Mongolia. Youth empowerment starts with decent work."

Through initiatives like Mr. Sanjaa’s, Mongolia's youth are stepping up to shape a fairer, more equitable future of work.

UNDP Mongolia: Promoting STEM4ALL opportunities for the Future of Work

Miss. A. Ariuntuya, a senior at public school #67, participated in the #STEM4All workshop organized by UNDP's Accelerator Lab in collaboration with the Business Innovation Agency of Ulaanbaatar. During the full day of workshops, she engaged in many interesting activities and science experiments. 

“I created an anti-gravity wheel and felt very good about it. It was a discovery that physics classes can be so exciting when combined with real-world experiences,” she described. 

#STEM4ALL is a global initiative launched by UNDP to empower youth in the STEM field and ensure their active participation in the country’s development.

Promoting STEM opportunities is also crucial for the future workforce in Mongolia. With 180 million jobs, predominantly held by women, expected to be automated in the next 20 years, and 90% of future jobs requiring digital skills rooted in STEM, reskilling and upskilling the youth is imperative. UNDP is actively promoting gender equality and the representation of women and girls in STEM to meet the demands of the future of work.

Before joining the STEM class, Miss. Ariuntuya had a different idea about her future career. As her relatives and close ones recommended more “female” professions, she wanted to become an actress. However, STEM4ALL and other science classes completely changed her mind, and now she has decided to pursue a career as a medical doctor. Her story showcases the magical influence of promoting STEM to bridge the gender gap in the field. 

FAO Mongolia: Engaging Youth in Climate Action Through Hackathons

Miss J. Gantuya, a researcher at the Research Institute of Animal Husbandry in Mongolia, led Team SPLICING to success in the 2023 FAO-UNDP SCALA hackathon for the Asia and Pacific region. The event, which encourages young talent to tackle environmental challenges, inspired Gantuya and her team to create a mobile app aimed at improving livestock management in Mongolia.

The app allows herders to input livestock data—such as species, age, and sex—into their phones, providing customized management advice to optimize herd productivity. This innovation not only helps herders manage their herds more effectively but also contributes to climate resilience in Mongolia. 

Team SPLICING’s hard work earned them a US$2,000 prize, but they’re not stopping there. Gantuya is collaborating with the FAO ELEVATE innovation fund and the FAO Regional Office to further develop the app and expand its reach. For Gantuya, this project is about more than technology—it's about empowering herders and making a tangible impact in the fight against climate change.