Country presentation, April 28, 2020

U. Mandkhaitsetsen, CHRD

MONGOLIA

Mongolian status as 28 April 2020

 The first case was registered in Mongolia on March 10  Infected: 38 (“imported” – People from abroad)
 Recovered: 10
 Death: 0

 Quarantined: 743

Labor situation and policies

 Closure of offices/business since 27th January (work from home)

 Small business closure leads to bankruptcy and increase of unemployment

 Due to financial difficulties some pay salaries, some work from home without pay.  NGOs/CSOs no salary –
 Public servants receive 70% of salary

Government Policies & Measures on the COVID-19

Government and Public Policies and Measures on Socio-economic impact of the COVID-19

Government response

•  The bank of Mongolia & Ministry of Finance decided to postpone loan principal & interest payments & to extend payment schedules for up to three months for holders of 8-5% mortgage loans upon a borrower's

•  Government’s new regulations to implement the measures aimed at easing the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, in which instituted a six-month exemption of monthly social insurance contributions paid by employees and employers, who retain their employees on payrolls despite revenue drops. It was reported that the decision applies to around 45,000 entities.

•  The government will pay the social insurance contributions due by employees & employers of private entities, NGOs, public & private universities, higher education institutions & by individuals, who pay social insurance contributions voluntarily, Minister Khurelbaatar clarified that almost all companies in Mongolia, including those experiencing even a slight decline or decrease of 1 MNT in their revenue, are free from paying social insurance contributions until October .

•  In support to the national response, UNICEF strategy and interventions focus on (i) Risk Communication and community engagement (RCCE); (ii) capacity strengthening of health facilities and provision of medical consumables and essential equipment; (iii) WASH and Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) ; (iv) Support to the continuity of services ( Health, Nutrition, continuous learning and child protection services including psychosocial support for mental health ) ; (v) continuous monitoring of the socio-economic impact of the COVID-19 to children and their families. On 14 April, the State Emergency Commission (SEC) announced its decision to further extend the current preventive measures until 1 September 2020.

•  The international borders remain closed and only charter flights repatriating Mongolian citizens who were abroad are allowed to land. Upon arrival, passengers must follow strict protocols, including quarantine for three weeks.

GOVERNMENT RESPONSE

•  PM Khurelsukh announced that the government of Mongolia decided to take the following measures to be financed with MNT 5.1 trillion to support the country’s economy weakened by the corona virus outbreak.

•  1. All entities & companies are exempt from paying social insurance contributions for six months from April until October 1.

•  2. Personal income tax will be waived for six months from April 1 until October 1.

•  3. Entities with revenues of less than MNT 1.5 billion are entitled to exemption of corporate tax for six months

  from April 1 until October 1.

•  4. For 3 months, the government will pay monthly MNT 200,000 to each employee of private companies keeping their workers on their job despite the difficulties in their businesses & declining revenues.

•  5. Loan with 3-percent interest rate, totaling MNT 300 billion, will be granted by the government to national cashmere companies for purchasing cashmere from herders. Cashmere for price will be set at less than MNT 100 thousand. This measure is expected to directly benefit 233 thousand herding families, according to the PM.

•  For 3 months, the monthly ‘Child Money’ allowance of MNT 20,000 to children aged under 18 is raised to MNT 30,000.

•  Necessary measures will be taken so that retail price of fuel per liter would be cut by MNT 300-400, starting April 15.

Civil Society Responses to the COVID-19

• ?  Medical aid: some groups of citizens has been collected money to buy Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), masks, hand sanitizer

• ?  Humanitarian aid: some CSOs has distributed food in peri-urban areas

• ?  Livelihood/well-being: The current economic stimuli and the pre-employment card launched

  last month were insufficient to cushion short-term shocks in the labor sector.

• ?  Campaign topics: Universal Basic Income (UBI), better data management, more data transparency,

  domestic violence, sustainable development practices

• ?  Monitoring advocacy: demanding for transparency (corruption watch) and better distribution of

  social protection allocation and humanitarian aid

Civil Society Responses to the COVID-19

•  Human rights forum nominated 1 representative to the working group of the Selection of the National Human Rights Commissioner.

•  2. Made a list of the possible candidates to apply for the commissioner of NHRCM. (This is not relevant)

•  HRF sent the 2 official letters to the Mr G.Zandanshatar, Speaker of the Mongolian Parliament for the Draft law on COVID 19

•  The first letter included recommendations about the human rights concern to the Draft law on Covid-19 and the regulations and restrictions according to the State Urgent commission should be in accordance to the Constitution of Mongolia & other international agreements.

•  The second letter included recommendations about that certain articles in the Covid-19 law, Disaster law & Petty offense law are violating the right to associate, freedom of expression, right to information and those articles should be revised. Also the first letter's recommendations were included in the Draft law on Covid-19.

•  4. Started collecting the human rights violation cases during the Covid-19 lockdown from the people who are abroad.

SUGGESTED URGENT ACTION

 Conduct in-depth research in the rural and peri-urban areas (CHRD SGs).  Survey

 Individual interviewing (Online)
 Funding Community Development Fund (CHRD SGs Association) without interest.

 Safety/Hygiene COVID19 (hand soap, toothpaste/toothbrush, washing powder, masks, hand sanitizer)  First aid medicines
 Housing upgrading , improved access to the clean water and sanitation facilities
 Staple food (flour, rice, vegetable oil, vegetables etc).

 Information dissemination about “informed voting and covid19” via online  Safety measures of COVID19
 Informed election and voting

 Psychological counselling to community members

 International Solidarity:

•  Exchange experiences of lessons learnt & best practices of coping COVID 19 via online (3 times)

•  Online URGENT ACTION Conference COVID19, produce STATEMENT/RECOMMENDATIONS to participating GOVERNMENTS