Program Snapshots

Preventing Violence Against Women and Supporting Victims in Mongolia

Program Year: 2020

Although Mongolia has done well on many measures of gender equality, Mongolian women still face gender inequality, and rates of violence and evident power imbalances remain significant challenges. The Asia Foundation is committed to supporting the survivors of violence against women in Mongolia with Korea’s official development assistance.

The Ministry of Gender Equality and Family of Republic of Korea (MOGEF) and The Asia Foundation are closely working together with Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of Mongolia (MLSP) and Mongolian Gender Equality Center (MGEC) to support social and economic rehabilitation for women survivors as well as to prevent violence against women (VAW) and sex trafficking in Mongolia.

The project provides preventive education, awareness raising campaigns, rehabilitation support services and vocational training. The project also includes a policy workshop at the national level including government officials, policy-makers, law enforcement, researchers, and civil society representatives.

The Covid-19 pandemic has required the project to make adjustments in its strategy, including replacing a planned street campaign with a social media campaign. The campaign successfully reached victims; in June 2020 alone, seven Mongolian women victims contacted MGEC for help after seeing the Facebook campaign. With support from relevant government offices and MGEC’s domestic and international network, MGEC was able to provide emergency assistance to successfully repatriate trafficked women from Thailand and Malaysia to Mongolia. Upon survivors’ arrival in Mongolia, MGEC provided reintegration services online, including advisory support, counseling, and other necessary supports.

During the rest of the year, the project plans to offer vocational training and small business start-up support programs for Mongolian VAW survivors. For those who completed the vocational training and show an interest in entrepreneurship, the Women’s Business Center run by The Asia Foundation’s Mongolia office will provide business services such as business training and consulting, and will select potential women entrepreneurs that have a viable business idea with small grants.

In 2019, MOGEF has signed the Record of Discussion with MLSP pledging support for a five-year project (2019–2023) for prevention of violence against women (VAW) and supporting VAW victims in Mongolia. In 2020, The Asia Foundation, with the support from MOGEF, currently manages the project in close partnership with MGEC.

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