Congratulatory Remarks by Mr. Jaap van Hierden UN Resident Coordinator in Mongolia The National Human Rights Forum – 2025

Your Excellency, Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh, The President of Mongolia,

Your Excellency, Dugar Sunjid, Chief Commissioner of the National Human Rights Commission of Mongolia 

Distinguished Guests

Ladies, and Gentlemen, 

I am honoured to join you at this National Human Rights Forum 2025 today. A gathering that reflects Mongolia’s enduring commitment to dignity, equality, and justice. On this International Human Rights Day, I extend warm greetings on behalf of the UN Country Team in Mongolia to all participants and to the people of Mongolia.

This year’s International Human Rights Day theme, “Our Everyday Essentials” reminds us that human rights are not distant aspirations. Instead, they are the foundation of life itself: food and housing, the environment and peace & security. They are the pillars of dignity and the compass that guides us toward fairness and opportunity. Today, we are called not only to celebrate these principles but to transform them into reality - through action, solidarity, and courage.

Since the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was adopted in 1948, humanity has taken great strides. Importantly so, Mongolia has been a proud champion of democratic values and human rights, building institutions and frameworks that reflect this vision. We take pride in Mongolia’s commitment, reflected in its ratification and implementation of an extensive body of international and national legal instruments. The country is equipped with a robust framework of judicial and institutional mechanisms entrusted with the vital responsibility of safeguarding and promoting human rights. Among these, the National Human Rights Commission of Mongolia holds a particularly critical mandate. Its role extends beyond protection. It must proactively advance human rights and fundamental freedoms, while fostering an enabling environment for civil society actors to contribute meaningfully to this shared mission.

Yet, human rights are never a destination, they are a journey. And on this journey, challenges remain such as concerns about trust in institutions, gaps in equality, and voices that still struggle to be heard.

To seize these opportunities, we must build a new social contract. One that shares power, resources, and opportunities fairly, and lays the foundation for a sustainable, rights-based economy. This is not just a policy goal. It is a moral imperative.

The recent Universal Periodic Review of Mongolia offered 223 recommendations - each a roadmap to a stronger, fairer nation. To the government officials present today, I urge you to lead with vision and translate these recommendations into a comprehensive national action plan. Make human rights the lens through which every law, every policy, and every budget decision is made. Commit to transparency, independence, and accountability in all institutions. Your leadership can turn commitments into realities and aspirations into achievements.

The UN Mongolia stands ready to support this journey through our Cooperation Framework that is aligned with Vision 2050 and Mongolia’s international obligations. Such support is not about assistance. Instead, it is about partnering for development - about working together to deliver tangible results for the people of Mongolia.

I thank the organizers and participants for making this Forum a beacon of hope and a platform for solutions. May your discussions today ignite action that shapes a future where human rights are the heartbeat of Mongolia.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Human rights are everyone’s responsibility.

Let us make them everyone’s reality. 

I wish you a successful National Human Rights Forum. 

Thank you. Баярлалаа.