(On agenda item 29 - Advancement of Women) 

Mr. Chairman,

As I am taking the floor for the first time in this Committee, let me congratulate you and other colleagues in the Bureau on unanimous election. I pledge my delegation’s full support and cooperation in the discharge of your onerous responsibilities.

My delegation associates itself with the statement of the Group of 77 and China made by South Africa.

We would like to thank the Secretary-General for the comprehensive reports submitted under this agenda item and also appreciate the contribution of the UN-Women in advancing gender equality and women's empowerment worldwide.

My delegation believes that the recently approved the Sustainable Development Goals will greatly advance the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of women. 

Mr. Chairman,

On behalf of my delegation, I wish to reaffirm Mongolia’s strong commitment to the full implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, the outcome of the Twenty-third Special Session of the General Assembly. The Government of Mongolia is preparing to present its Combined eighth and ninth periodic reports at the sixty-third session of the CEDAW Committee in 2016. 

In the last 20 years, Mongolia has had remarkable achievements in the implementation of the above documents and the MDGs.

Further realization of equal rights of women and men has been greatly enhanced through extensive legal and judicial reforms. One of them is “The Law on Victims and Witness Protection” adopted by the Parliament of Mongolia in 2013 and the Marshal’s office set up accordingly. It facilitates adequately protecting the rights of girls and women, survivors of violence in many ways including, filing orders for protection.    

In addition, the Mid-Term Strategy and Action Plan on the Implementation of the Law on Promotion of Gender Equality (2013-2016) has become a cornerstone for advancing gender mainstreaming to sectorial policies and programs.         

Mr. Chairman,

As to the MDGs' implementation at national level, under the three targets of the Goal 3, gender equality in wage employment is practically reached, the appropriate sex ratio in primary and secondary education is on the right track and an increase in the number of women in decision-making levels is not achieved yet.

Therefore, there is a sound need to shift the unfinished agenda of MDG 3 into "SDG 5. Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls" and strive toward increasing the current 20 percent quota for female candidates for the Parliament election, encourage all parties to undertake more robust actions to promote gender equality at decision-making level and carry out other necessary measures.   

Mr. Chairman,

The Government of Mongolia has been attaching a great importance not only to gender mainstreaming and gender sensitive budgeting, but also to gender-related educational and advocacy activities to break down the prevailing biases and stereotypes on women and girls and on gender issues overall.

Starting from this academic year, colleges and universities would have a new selective course on gender issues in their curricula based on concept and principles of human rights and gender equality.

Among the general public, an Annual Seven-Day Women’s Rights Campaign has been organized by the Government in commemoration of the International Women’s Rights Day and echoing the United Nations "HeForShe" campaign and similar measures, a national forum “Men in Development” was successfully organized by the National Center for Gender Equality with support of the President's Office and relevant ministries. 

Mr. Chairman,

The realization of gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls will make a crucial contribution to progress across all the Goals and targets. However, its implementation is enormously complex and has a cross-cutting nature requiring an inter-sectorial coordination and cooperation.

As the Government of Mongolia has experienced both advantage and hardship of implementation of gender related policies and programs, it is committed to mobilize more innovative approaches for further implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, the outcome of the Twenty-third Special Session of the General Assembly, CEDAW and the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda. These approaches will include, but not limited to increasing investments to close the gender gap, engaging everyone including men and boys to eliminate all forms of discrimination and violence against women and girls and developing partnership with all relevant stakeholders.  

In conclusion, I would like to highlight that as in previous years, Mongolia will table a draft resolution on “Improvement of the situation of women in rural areas.” It is our sincere hope that this draft resolution will enjoy full support of Member States.

Thank you for attention.