Mr. Chairman,

At the outset, I would like to thank the Secretary-General for the comprehensive reports submitted under this agenda item.   

We would like to inform the Committee and UN Member States that since our last year’s statement, Mongolia has ratified the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, the Third Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on a Communications Procedure, the Minimata Convention on Mercury, the Marrakesh Treaty to Facilitate Access to Published Works for Persons Who are Blind, Visually Impaired or Otherwise Print Disabled and the ILO Conventions No.88, 176 and 181.

Under the Constitution of Mongolia its international treaties have the same effect as the domestic legislations. In order to better streamline the existing legislation and bring the body of national laws in line with the international commitments and standards, Mongolia is revising its Law on International Treaty to make it a legal requirement to draft necessary amendments into existing laws or new laws simultaneously with an internal ratification procedure of international treaties and conventions, which explicitly and implicitly contain such requirements.

Mr. Chairman,

In the last 25 years, Mongolia has been conducting extensive and systematic legal reforms. The Parliament is now considering the revised draft of the Criminal Code which upon its enactment will abolish the death penalty in law and practice. The revised draft also criminalizes all forms of torture in line with the definition of torture under Article 1 of the Convention against Torture. As a state party, Mongolia will assign the Human Rights Commission of Mongolia with the function of the national preventive mechanism by revising its law and recognizes the mandate of the Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture.

During its 2015 fall session which will run until February 2016, the Parliament will also consider the revised drafts of the Law on the Human Rights Commission, the Law on the Rights of the Child, the Law on the Protection of the Child, the Law on Domestic Violence and the Labor Law, all of which aimed at integrating treaty provisions into the national legislation.

Mr. Chairman, 

The Second National Report of the UPR was successfully reviewed in May 2015. We believe that UPR recommendations serve as a soft law, a self-monitoring system for the Government for its human rights records, and an instrument for civil society organizations to demand effective implementation from the Government.

Early this month, the Government of Mongolia organized two day coordination meeting for UPR stakeholders in collaboration with the UN Country Team. The Forum which brought together over 40 governments and national human rights non-government organizations achieved its goal to increase awareness on the UPR and to provide dialogue between relevant stakeholders.

We do recognize that inputs from civil society organizations, as well as National Human Rights Commission are critical and necessary elements to have in the implementation of the UPR recommendations and human rights instruments overall.

In this regard, the Law on Legislation, which was enacted in May 2015, introduces a legal requirement for law drafters to receive comments on human rights perspective from all stakeholders including civil society organizations and public human rights bodies, and provide feedbacks on the status of comments received.

Mr. Chairman,

At the closing, let me reiterate my Government’s commitment to the full and effective implementation of international human rights treaties and conventions to which it has acceded and commitment to stronger cooperation with the OHCHR and relevant UN Human Rights Bodies, including treaty bodies, and member states on the implementation of the human rights instruments.

I also would like to thank most sincerely all fellow member states for supporting   us at the recent HRC elections, demonstrating confidence in Mongolia's capabilities to serve as Member of the UN HRC, and giving us a renewed mandate for further contribution to the universal promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms.  

Thank you.