December 28, 2023 - On November 7, The Asia Foundation hosted a conference to celebrate the conclusion of the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family’s (MOGEF) 5 yearlong ODA Project from 2019 to 2023 for Prevention of Violence Against Women (VAW) and Supporting Victims in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.

The conference provided an opportunity to share the outcomes and achievements of the joint project between MOGEF and the Mongolian Ministry of Labor and Social Protection (MLSP) and to strengthen the government-civil society partnership for the project’s sustainability.

The Conference began with opening remarks by E. Gankhuu, State Secretary of the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection, Ch. Enkh-Amgalan, State Secretary of the Ministry of Culture and Kyung-sook Lee, Acting Country Representative of The Asia Foundation Korea. After the opening session, G.Ganbayasgakh, Head of the Mongolian Gender Equality Center, presented the main results and achievements of the five-year project. The conference continued with panel discussions on the topics of victim protection, prevention, and the role of the cultural sector.

The panel discussion highlighted the efforts of Mongolian government organizations such as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the police, the Executive Office, the Coordination Council for Crime Prevention, and local NGOs in preventing violence against women and protecting the victims. The panelists emphasized the importance of improving the professionalism of prevention trainers and social workers, as well as the cross-sectoral cooperation between the government, NGOs, journalists, artists, etc.

The conference closed with the MLSP’s and Ministry of Culture’s announcement of the winners of the art competition on the theme of “voices and feelings of survivors.” The exhibition raised the cultural and art sector’s awareness of violence against women.

(Photo by The Asia Foundation)

*Cover photo by Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of Mongolia