ODIHR roundtable event in Ulaanbaatar focuses on situation of human rights defenders

The situation of human rights defenders in Mongolia was the topic of discussion during a roundtable event organized by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) on 28 September 2018 in Ulaanbaatar.

The event brought together 43 participants (25 women and 18 men) from state institutions, the National Human Rights Commission of Mongolia (NHRCM), civil society organizations working on human rights issues, individual human rights defenders and representatives of intergovernmental organizations. The participants examined issues affecting the work of human rights defenders in Mongolia and proposed recommendations for addressing existing challenges in a gender-sensitive, inclusive and sustainable manner.

“Open dialogue between state institutions and human rights defenders is important to reach a common understanding about the current situation of human rights defenders and potential challenges they may face in their work,” said Jennifer Croft, Deputy Head of the ODIHR Human Rights Department. “We welcome the willingness of stakeholders in Mongolia to engage in this crucial dialogue and to discuss what role ODIHR can play to facilitate their co-operation.” 

Byambadorj Jamsran, Chief Commissioner of the NHRCM, said: “Bringing together state representatives and civil society organizations in a roundtable event such as this is important as it allows for the development of recommendations on protecting human rights defenders. The Commission appreciates and respects human rights defenders’ work and stands ready to support their efforts in promoting and protecting human rights in Mongolia.”

Anaraa Nyamdorj, co-founder of Mongolia’s LGBT Center NGO, said: “More young people in Mongolia are becoming active in different civic spaces on various issues, ranging from environmental protection to sustainable human development. Civil society is making the best of the situation, often utilizing international legal instruments to promote change. However, structural challenges remain, which could be partially addressed by granting NGOs tax-exempt status and by allocating dedicated state funds to civil society organizations through a transparent and fair process, including for projects focusing on youth, gender and LGBTI issues.”

The event was organized on the margins of a country visit ODIHR undertook to assess the situation of human rights defenders in Mongolia. The findings of this and other similar country visits will be published in a report in 2019. The report will highlight challenges and good practices in the protection of human rights defenders in OSCE participating States, including by examining the implementation of ODIHR’s Guidelines on the Protection of Human Rights Defenders.