Strengthening of Representative Bodies in Mongolia (SRB)

Project completed
People actively participate in the bagh meeting
People actively participate in the bagh meeting © UNDP / SDC

The project aims to make Mongolia’s sub-national local assemblies (khurals)[1] more responsive and accountable to citizens, ensuring youth participation and realising the rights of the poor and marginalised. A comprehensive capacity-development strategy will be implemented that addresses the legal and institutional environment, the organisational capacity of local councils and the competencies of locally elected politicians. Gender equality and pro-poor approaches are mainstreamed in the project’s design and in its results framework.

Country/region Topic Period Budget
Mongolia
Governance
Human rights
Decentralisation
Human rights (incl. Women's rights)
15.12.2016 - 30.06.2021
CHF  4’735’000
Background

The promulgation of the 1992 Constitution marked the emergence of local self-governing bodies in Mongolia. Citizens’ Representative Khurals have become stable institutions that play an important role in the consolidation of democracy. However, challenges remain in ensuring they are truly representative, responsive and accountable. The legal framework introduced in the early years of transition has not kept pace with the country’s social, economic and political development. Laws are approved without sufficient consultation with local authorities, making implementation difficult at the local level. The organisational capacities of khurals are constrained by limited resources, unclear mandates and weak guidance. Because of the high turnover of khural members, there is a continual need to educate representatives about their responsibilities and duties. A 60 percent turnover of khural members and khural secretariats is anticipated in the wake of the 2016 elections. There are no reserved seats for women or other disadvantaged groups. Female members are a minority – the average representation of women in local khurals is about 17 percent. Citizens’ ability to demand accountability from their elected representatives is also limited, largely as a result of a low level of awareness about the functioning of local self-governing bodies (khurals) and a lack of youth involvement in local politics.

Objectives

(According to UNDP Country Program Outcome)

By 2021, governing institutions of Mongolia are more responsive and accountable to citizens, ensuring youth participation and realising the rights of the poor and marginalised.

Target groups

The main beneficiaries of the project are:

  • Sub-national local assemblies (khurals) (360 local khurals, incl. 21 aimag, 1 Ulaanbaatar city, 9 district and 330 soum khurals)
  • The Parliament Secretariat
  • Locally elected representatives, incl. female (more than 8300 politicians)
  • Sub-national governments
  • Central government ministries and agencies
  • Citizens (male and female)
Medium-term outcomes

Sub-national self-governing bodies (khurals) are enabled to deliver improved basic services and better respond to public-determined priorities thanks to improved functions, capacities and financial resources[1].

 

 

[1] Output 3.2 of UNDP Strategic Plan 2016-2020

 

 

Results

Expected results:  

  • Improved legal framework for local self-governance.
  • Sub-national local assemblies (khurals) have improved organisational capacity.
  • A national training programme for locally elected representatives is institutionalised.
  • Improved capacity of the Parliament Secretariat to support representative bodies.


Results from previous phases:  

The Project builds on the foundation laid by the “Capacity Strengthening of Local Self-governing Bodies”(CSLB)[1] and “Support to Participatory Legislative Processes” (SPLP) projects, both implemented by the Parliament Secretariat with support from SDC and UNDP from 2013-2016.

  • National induction training and thematic training programmes for local khurals are developed and delivered. The training organized for 8000[2] local representatives on their core functions resulted in the improvement of local khural performance. Women elected representatives at all levels were trained in leadership.
  • National induction training programme was effectively complemented in practical terms through the awarding of grants to khurals.  This is necessary due to insufficient local budgets to carry out representatives’ mandated functions.
  • A network of local trainers (62 trainers drawn from aimag khurals and local governance NGOs, including associations of LAs) has been created who deliver the induction and thematic training for the representatives and provide hands-on, on the job advice to representatives.
  • Improved understanding of the way locally elected representatives are perceived: 2015 Baseline Public Perception Survey of LSGB which was the first of its kind provides a better understanding of how khurals are perceived by citizens including youth, and local government challenges.
  • The integrated website for khurals (www.khural.mn) was introduced  and operational to all 361 Hurals at all levels and has became a learning  and experience sharing platform for politicians and improved access to and exchange of information among politicians and between local government and citizens.
  • Law on Legislation was approved in 2015 with support from SPLP, setting standard in legislative drafting process, raising pre-legislative scrutiny, and making it mandatory to hold public consultation on draft laws.
  • SPLP supported study on the role of the Constitution of Mongolia in consolidating democracy contributed to the ongoing debates on constitutional amendments.

 

 

[1] During the planning of CSLB project, due to the uncertainty of the SDC programme continuation in Mognolia, HO recommended to limit CSLB to a single Phase.

[2] Around 80% of all local elected politicians

 

 


Directorate/federal office responsible SDC
Credit area Development cooperation
Project partners Contract partner
United Nations Organization (UNO)
  • United Nations Development Programme


Other partners

Citizens’ Representative Khurals in Ulaanbaatar, districts, soums and aimags, Parliament Standing Committee on State Structuring, Cabinet Secretariat, The Office of the President, The Civil Service Council of Mongolia, Ministry of Finance, Mongolian Association of Local Authorities

Coordination with other projects and actors

The project will coordinate closely with SDC’s ongoing Governance and Decentralisation Programme Phase 2 and the SDC-World Bank co-financed Sustainable Livelihoods Project Phase 3. Together, these projects provide comprehensive and complementary support for the government’s decentralisation reform agenda and improvement of the capacities of local governments. In addition, the project will have synergies with the following projects:

  • UNDP project on civil service reform on the design and roll-out of the performance-measurement framework for local khurals
  • The SDC co-funded Mainstreaming Social Accountability in Mongolia Project by the World Bank, particularly strengthening the capacity of civil society organisations to hold the government to account
  • The SDC-funded Green Gold - Animal Health consolidation project on sustainable rangeland management
Budget Current phase Swiss budget CHF    4’735’000 Swiss disbursement to date CHF    3’135’140
Project phases Phase 2 01.08.2021 - 31.12.2023   (Completed)

Phase 1 15.12.2016 - 30.06.2021   (Completed)

[1] Sub-national self-governing bodies/ local assemblies/local parliaments (khurals) = aimag khurals (21) and soum khurals (356)