The February 5 event ushered in a new public vision of vocational occupations in Mongolia, challenging the widespread perception that females were not fit in such heavy industries as mining and construction. 

According to Tuv Azza LLC Human Resource Manager G.Altantuya, as reported in the UB Post newspaper, heavy industries were interested in hiring females, particularly in the fields of engineering and security. “Women can be very successful once they chose these majors,” she said.

Advisor to the Minister of Labour, Ts. Nyamsuren, also quoted in the UB Post, said the ministry was making changes in relevant policies and laws to enable women to undertake positions in technical fields.

A total of 80 girls took part in the “Girls’ Day” event, where they received information about Mongolia’s vocational education, the specifics of different technical professions and current career opportunities.

They also took part in workshops, using tools and practising their skills under the guidance of teachers in the fields of carpentry, bricklaying, house-painting, electrical engineering and geodesy.

More than 15 Mongolian companies representing the mining, construction, food, hospitality, and trade and commerce sectors provided information on their particular areas of specialisation.  

Thanks to the success of the first “Girls’ Day” – organised in cooperation with the Institute of Engineering Technology, the GIZ Cooperative Vocational Training (CVT) Project will support more vocational schools in organising similar activities throughout 2015, with the aim of making “Girls’ Day” an annual event in Mongolia.

GIZ’s CVT Project is co-financed by German Government, SDC and the Australian government and is aimed at reforming Mongolia’s vocational education sector.

Tov, Mongolia– After graduating from university in Mongolia’s capital Ulaanbaatar, D. Bertsetseg returned to her hometown of Zuunmod soum, Tov aimag where she worked in education for 30 years. “I came back to my hometown to educate the future of Zuunmod–its school students,” Bertsetseg explains. Zuunmod soum is comprised of more than 4,600 households, with a population of 16,000 inhabitants.

Bertsetseg was drawn into politics during Mongolia’s democratic transition in the 1990s. After working as an election campaign manager and being twice nominated herself, she was eventually elected into the soum’s Citizen Representative Hural in 2012. 

Following her appointment, Bertsetseg took part in a National Training Programme, as part of the Capacity Strengthening of Local Self-Governing Bodies Project implemented by UNDP and funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, for all khural representatives. The tailored training includes topics such as citizen participation in decision-making, public financial management, ethics, green development, human rights, and gender. 

Bertsetseg also participated in the country’s first nationwide Women’s Leadership Training organized by the Project. “The Training affected us women in a very positive way since there are 14 women representatives in Zuunmod soum hural,” said Bertsetseg.

The Training will reach all women representatives in Mongolia and its curriculum includes leadership, power dynamics, and human rights.

“I hope the Trainings' impact will continue to empower women representatives.  Women are the backbone of the family and the bedrock of a community. With more women in power, I believe we would have more harmony, more engagement, less suffering, and less conflict.” 

For Bertsetseg, a khural representative means, “Being a responsible leader, ensuring a better future for the community, while also voicing people’s needs when shaping local policies.”

By: Philippe Long