Mongolia’s Prime Minister Zandanshatar Gombojav recently met with leaders of the Mongolian Women’s Federation (MWF). Together, they aimed to strengthen their partnership on mental health protection. The Prime Minister stressed the urgent need for mental health protection and pledged strong government support for MWF’s programs.
At the start, PM Zandanshatar praised MWF’s 100-year history of social work. He highlighted that women make up 51 percent of the population—around 1.8 million people. Moreover, he reaffirmed the government’s commitment to protecting women’s and families’ rights.
Soon after forming the government, the Prime Minister set up a working group to combat violence. Specifically, domestic violence against women and girls remains a serious problem. To address this, the government launched the “No One Should Be Harmed” campaign. Additionally, the Prime Minister’s Office created the National Committee Against Violence, which works closely with civil society groups.
Furthermore, MWF proposed celebrating the “International Day for the Protection of the Rights of the Girl.” The PM welcomed this idea and agreed to support it. MWF President Oyungerel Batnasan then shared key projects. For example, the “Cancer-Free Mongolian Woman” initiative has reached women in several regions. Over 21,000 women received early cancer screenings.
In addition, 50,000 people attended trainings on domestic violence prevention, child protection, sexual health, and infectious disease awareness. Another project, “Nandin,” protects adolescents from bullying, discrimination, and screen addiction. MWF also plans to expand cancer screenings to Zavkhan aimag soon.
Meanwhile, MWF leaders raised other issues. These include improving the business climate for women entrepreneurs and strengthening family protection laws. They also want to equalize kindergarten fees in urban and rural areas. Lastly, protecting property rights for women herders was mentioned.
In response, PM Zandanshatar accepted several requests. He approved expanding the “Cancer-Free Mongolian Woman” project with a professional medical team. Moreover, the government will support the “Dem” project. This project offers psychological counseling and training for women before and after childbirth.
Finally, the Prime Minister pledged to boost mental health protection efforts nationwide. He asked MWF to prepare detailed plans for joint implementation. Overall, this meeting marks a key step in strengthening cooperation on mental health protection in Mongolia.
