ID :
190401
Wed, 06/22/2011 - 13:48
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http://m.oananews.org//node/190401
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STATEMENT OF MONGOLIAN REP TO UN AT UNICEF EXECUTIVE COUNCIL SESSION
Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, /MONTSAME/ A statement was given Tuesday by O.Enkhtsetseg, the Permanent Representative of Mongolia to the United Nations, to the UNICEF Executive Board during the discussion of the draft Country Programme Document for Mongolia for 2012-2016, in New York, USA.
Mrs. Enkhtsetseg has thanked for the opportunity to take the floor. "For a developing country like Mongolia, the UNICEF serves as an indispensable partner in ensuring that the rights of every child are protected and realized. I would like to express my Government's high appreciation and gratitude for the UNICEF's invaluable assistance in our development efforts," she has said.
"Before going into the Draft Programme, I would like to say a few words on the general situation of children in Mongolia. Mongolia's 2.7 million population is relatively young, with 27,6 percent aged under 15, which offers a demographic dividend if there is adequate investment in human capital.
"Achievement of most MDGs is a real possibility in Mongolia. Our latest 2009 national report on MDGs indicates that Mongolia is on track to meet 66 percent of its MDG targets. Significant progress has been made towards the realization of MDG 2 to achieve universal primary education and MDG 4 to reduce child mortality. The ratio of primary school enrolment was almost 92 per cent back in 2008. Since 2006, my Government has been implementing a 'School Lunch Programme' for children of grades 1-5. Mongolia's infant and under-five mortality rates currently stand at 20 and 23 per 1,000 live births respectively. With a greater focus on urban/rural disparities, MDG 4 on child mortality could be within reach by 2015."
Mrs. Enkhtsetseg has said there are four major issues where Mongolia and the UNICEF will focus in the next five years:
1.Although there has been an overall positive progress towards MDGs, a deeper look reveals distinct disparities. The steady, modest economic growth of the last decade has not translated into improved livelihoods for all. The three MDGs of poverty reduction, environment and gender equality are lagging behind. Inequities persist across all the other MDGs among population groups, as well as urban, semi-urban and rural areas. As a result, 42 per cent of children are living below the poverty line and 21 percent are suffering from chronic malnutrition. While good progress has been made in reducing the maternal and child mortality rates, indicators are generally worse for rural and peri-urban populations.
Despite strong gains in the number of children accessing early childhood education, 8 percent of all rural children are not enrolled in school, and 19 percent drop out before completing school. Children with disabilities and "street" children are yet to fully enjoy their right to education. In addition, the quality of education remains a key concern.
2.The second major issue is the poor access of disadvantaged children to basic sanitation and safe water, which is below the regional average.
3.Mongolia is prone to severe natural disasters, such as dzud which is extreme cold combined with continuous heavy snowfall. The most recent dzud which ravaged Mongolia from the end of 2009 through spring 2010 affected 30 per cent of Mongolia's population, including 300,000 children, and resulted in the loss of 22 per cent of the nation's livestock leaving rural households without means of support. We are grateful to the UNICEF for organizing a swift aid effort for children in the affected areas at its own initiative. The recent dzud disaster highlighted the urgent need to enhance national emergency preparedness and response capacity.
4.The fourth major issue is child protection.
To address those issues, the Government is working to put into place pro-poor budgets, a comprehensive social protection system and to vastly enhance access of poor, rural and peri-urban children to essential social services including health, education, water and sanitation, and child protection. As part of this policy, a Human Development Fund has been established to redistribute mining revenues to social causes.
In view of the above, the primary goal of the draft Country Programme for the next five years is to support my Government in addressing the deepening inequity. The draft Country Programme was developed in extensive consultation among my Government, UNICEF and other development partners. It is in line with the Government strategies and draws from the 2010 common country assessment, the most recent concluding observations of human rights treaty bodies and the new UN Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) for Mongolia covering the period 2012-2016. For its part, the new UNDAF was also a result of extensive consultations among the Government, UN, development partners and civil society over the last two years.
The draft Country Programme has 2 main components designed to respond to the 4 major issues outlined above. The first component of social policy, investment and advocacy for children's rights seeks to support the development of strong child-friendly policies, including impact analysis, costing studies targeting vulnerable children and ensure that they benefit from adequate allocation of financial resources. The second component focuses on integrated and inclusive interventions targeting groups of children most affected by disparities, reaching them through cost-effective services. Those interventions are particularly valuable in the sense that their effectiveness would provide a rationale for the Government to bring them up to scale.
In conclusion, she has reaffirmed on behalf of the Government a strong endorsement for the draft UNICEF CP. Although Mongolia continues its progress towards middle-income status, this is a delicate and critical timing requiring concerted action to ensure that economic growth is translated to human development of all Mongolians, she has said. Therefore, "we appeal to donor countries and multilateral organizations to assist Mongolia through this decisive time. Mongolia looks forward to the endorsement of the CP by the distinguished members of the Executive Board and its effective implementation."
B.Khuder
Mrs. Enkhtsetseg has thanked for the opportunity to take the floor. "For a developing country like Mongolia, the UNICEF serves as an indispensable partner in ensuring that the rights of every child are protected and realized. I would like to express my Government's high appreciation and gratitude for the UNICEF's invaluable assistance in our development efforts," she has said.
"Before going into the Draft Programme, I would like to say a few words on the general situation of children in Mongolia. Mongolia's 2.7 million population is relatively young, with 27,6 percent aged under 15, which offers a demographic dividend if there is adequate investment in human capital.
"Achievement of most MDGs is a real possibility in Mongolia. Our latest 2009 national report on MDGs indicates that Mongolia is on track to meet 66 percent of its MDG targets. Significant progress has been made towards the realization of MDG 2 to achieve universal primary education and MDG 4 to reduce child mortality. The ratio of primary school enrolment was almost 92 per cent back in 2008. Since 2006, my Government has been implementing a 'School Lunch Programme' for children of grades 1-5. Mongolia's infant and under-five mortality rates currently stand at 20 and 23 per 1,000 live births respectively. With a greater focus on urban/rural disparities, MDG 4 on child mortality could be within reach by 2015."
Mrs. Enkhtsetseg has said there are four major issues where Mongolia and the UNICEF will focus in the next five years:
1.Although there has been an overall positive progress towards MDGs, a deeper look reveals distinct disparities. The steady, modest economic growth of the last decade has not translated into improved livelihoods for all. The three MDGs of poverty reduction, environment and gender equality are lagging behind. Inequities persist across all the other MDGs among population groups, as well as urban, semi-urban and rural areas. As a result, 42 per cent of children are living below the poverty line and 21 percent are suffering from chronic malnutrition. While good progress has been made in reducing the maternal and child mortality rates, indicators are generally worse for rural and peri-urban populations.
Despite strong gains in the number of children accessing early childhood education, 8 percent of all rural children are not enrolled in school, and 19 percent drop out before completing school. Children with disabilities and "street" children are yet to fully enjoy their right to education. In addition, the quality of education remains a key concern.
2.The second major issue is the poor access of disadvantaged children to basic sanitation and safe water, which is below the regional average.
3.Mongolia is prone to severe natural disasters, such as dzud which is extreme cold combined with continuous heavy snowfall. The most recent dzud which ravaged Mongolia from the end of 2009 through spring 2010 affected 30 per cent of Mongolia's population, including 300,000 children, and resulted in the loss of 22 per cent of the nation's livestock leaving rural households without means of support. We are grateful to the UNICEF for organizing a swift aid effort for children in the affected areas at its own initiative. The recent dzud disaster highlighted the urgent need to enhance national emergency preparedness and response capacity.
4.The fourth major issue is child protection.
To address those issues, the Government is working to put into place pro-poor budgets, a comprehensive social protection system and to vastly enhance access of poor, rural and peri-urban children to essential social services including health, education, water and sanitation, and child protection. As part of this policy, a Human Development Fund has been established to redistribute mining revenues to social causes.
In view of the above, the primary goal of the draft Country Programme for the next five years is to support my Government in addressing the deepening inequity. The draft Country Programme was developed in extensive consultation among my Government, UNICEF and other development partners. It is in line with the Government strategies and draws from the 2010 common country assessment, the most recent concluding observations of human rights treaty bodies and the new UN Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) for Mongolia covering the period 2012-2016. For its part, the new UNDAF was also a result of extensive consultations among the Government, UN, development partners and civil society over the last two years.
The draft Country Programme has 2 main components designed to respond to the 4 major issues outlined above. The first component of social policy, investment and advocacy for children's rights seeks to support the development of strong child-friendly policies, including impact analysis, costing studies targeting vulnerable children and ensure that they benefit from adequate allocation of financial resources. The second component focuses on integrated and inclusive interventions targeting groups of children most affected by disparities, reaching them through cost-effective services. Those interventions are particularly valuable in the sense that their effectiveness would provide a rationale for the Government to bring them up to scale.
In conclusion, she has reaffirmed on behalf of the Government a strong endorsement for the draft UNICEF CP. Although Mongolia continues its progress towards middle-income status, this is a delicate and critical timing requiring concerted action to ensure that economic growth is translated to human development of all Mongolians, she has said. Therefore, "we appeal to donor countries and multilateral organizations to assist Mongolia through this decisive time. Mongolia looks forward to the endorsement of the CP by the distinguished members of the Executive Board and its effective implementation."
B.Khuder
