Mongolian Gender Equality Center
The Mongolian Gender Equality Center (MGEC) is a non-government organization based in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.[1]
| Motto | Eradicate Human Trafficking and Gender Inequality |
|---|---|
| Founded | January 4th 2002 |
| Type | Non-profit NGO |
| Location |
|
| Services | Preventing trafficking and protecting its victims through direct support, legal aid and lobbying. Promoting gender equality. |
| Website | www.stoptrafficking.mn |
The MGEC was established in 2002 to fight the growing crime of human trafficking. In Mongolia, human trafficking is primarily a gendered crime. Young women and girls are trafficked into brothels for illegal and often unpaid prostitution against their consent.
The center has provided support to hundreds of victims of trafficking from countries around the world. The MGEC has worked with authorities to improve legislation against the crime, runs prevention, awareness and advocacy programs and provides legal advocacy, shelter, counseling services and vocational training for repatriated victims of trafficking (VOTs).
Over the last 17 years the MGEC has expanded its work to secure equal rights for men and women in Mongolian society. The center fights discrimination against women because this discrimination lies at the root of gender-based crimes and violence. It has developed a range of educational materials and publications for social workers, teachers, students, police and other officials. Recently, the MGEC has been developing educational tools for parents and teachers on child safety to help prevent sexual abuse of children.
Human trafficking in Mongolia
Human trafficking - the recruitment of individuals by deception or force for the purpose of exploitation arose in Mongolia during the 1990s. The transition of government from socialism to democracy resulted in rapid privatization of state-owned enterprises. As a result, many Mongolians, especially the young, have faced ongoing difficulties in finding employment making them vulnerable to traffickers offering attractive opportunities to work or study abroad. In addition, after the transition, Mongolians for the first time were able to freely travel in and out of their country.
For many years the majority of Mongolians were trafficked into nearby countries including The People's Republic of China, Macau, Malaysia, Kazakhstan and The Republic of Korea. However, in recent years Mongolian trafficking victims have been found in a greater number of destinations, including the United Kingdom, Germany and Switzerland. Mongolians have been trafficked for a variety of purposes, including sexual exploitation, forced labour, and arranged (false) marriage.
Anti-trafficking work in Mongolia has been spearheaded by NGOs.[2] The Mongolian Gender Equality Center was the first organisation fighting trafficking in Mongolia and continues to be the only organisation providing victim care and rehabilitation. Legislative changes have been made by government due to significant lobbying by NGOs. The law is now compliant with the Palermo Protocol, although government funding for implementation is not provided.
Victims of trafficking are most often girls and women; the most frequent purpose of trafficking is for sexual exploitation. Increasingly, traffickers are targeting poor families from rural areas and trafficking them internally into cities of Mongolia. The shame and stigma associated with sexual abuse often keeps the women silent about their experiences long after they have been identified and returned home.
Goals
The goals of the MGEC are:
- To fight against human trafficking
- To lobby for improvements in the legal environment for victims of trafficking, gender-based violence and rape
- To lobby for improvements in the provision of social services to victims of trafficking, gender-based violence and rape
- To promote gender equality throughout all levels of society[3]
Areas of work
Gender Equality
MGEC has developed and published a handbook on gender equality (in partnership with the National Pedagogical University and the Science and Technology University of Mongolia). In addition, the organization runs educational programs from primary school to university, and is also currently a member of a lobby group that drafts laws on gender equality.
Victim protection
In 2007 MGEC initiated the “Direct Assistance to Victims of Human Trafficking Program” with assistance from the International Organization for Migration. Since then the program has provided 679 VOTs with assistance from the MGEC including repatriation, rehabilitation and reintegration into the Mongolian community.[5] Nearly one thousand victims of sexual violence have also been assisted. Between 2016-17, 63 victims of trafficking were identified and provided with complete reintegration assistance.
The program has assisted victims in the following ways:[4]
Repatriation of VOTs from abroad, co-operating with NGOs, government police departments, and international organizations. Between 2007 and March 2010, 155 Mongolian trafficked nationals aged between 8 and 49 were successfully repatriated with the help of various government bodies.
Shelter for victims of trafficking and sexual violence in Ulaanbaatar, and Zamiin-Uud (on the border to China which is the most common overland route for international trafficking) with assistance from the Swiss Agency for Development and cooperation (SDC). The shelter supplies food, clothing and health checks, and training in various practical skills.
Legal assistance and advice. The MGEC provides legal aid to victims of trafficking at no cost to any client who wishes to pursue justice in the courts. The MGEC has provided legal assistance to over a hundred victims. In addition to VoTs, assistance has been given to women who wished to divorce from Korean nationals and victims of sexual abuse not related to trafficking. It remains challenging to convict perpetrators due to loop holes in the law, and the reticence of victims to prosecute. The stigma associated with sexual violence means victims typically do not want their family or public to know of the crimes committed against them, This leaves traffickers able to target additional victims without facing justice.
Vocational training, providing VOTs with the skills to ensure financial independence to prevent recurrence of trafficking. Advice on job seeking and starting a small business is also provided.
Accommodation Provision of a fully furnished ger (Mongolian traditional housing) for victims who need ongoing accommodation.[5]
Trafficking prevention
MGEC’s trafficking prevention program aims to develop public understanding through training, research and the distribution of educational materials:
Research: MGEC has conducted national reports into victim’s experiences, the identification of trafficking networks and public opinion.
Training: training sessions to lawyers, police, and government departments on current issues surrounding human trafficking and the legal status of VOTs. Training occurs throughout Mongolia.
Publications: The organization produces and distributes handbooks and educational materials.
Campaigns: the organization has produced a documentary film based on victim testimonies for the purposes of instruction and training. Public awareness is further raised through newspaper articles and TV programs.
Hotline – +976 1903: Since November 2007, MGEC has provided a 24-hour trafficking hotline, this free line provides information and assistance as well as the contact details for international organisations that provide support to VOTS. The hotline provides direct information and counseling, receives information from third parties identifying potential trafficked persons, and provides advice for those who are going abroad for work and study.
Campaigns: MGEC organizes general public awareness campaigns, and campaigns targeting at-risk groups based on the findings from MGEC surveys.[6]
Foreign marriage
Between 2000 and 2008 the number of marriages of Mongolian women to foreign nationals increased from 79 to 3,485, and 67.8% of these were to Korean nationals. In July 2008, MGEC, together with the Government of the Republic of Korea and the Mongolian Ministry of Social Welfare & Labour, provided a one-day training program for Mongolian brides. The program focused on Korean culture, language and society, the legal regulations regarding marriage and divorce in Korea, and gave extensive advice on trafficking, domestic violence and abuse.[7]
As a result of this intervention the number of Mongolian women who became trapped in false marriages with Korean nationals has become almost negligible.
Education
The MGEC has provided training in sexual violence and trafficking to police, judiciary, immigration officials. civil society organisations and government in an ongoing basis for over 15 years.
The MGEC is currently working to provide resources around reproductive and sexual rights to young girls and women in Mongolia. Mongolia a high rate of underage abortion and pregnancy. Lack of autonomy and understanding of sexual rights and health mean many Mongolian young women undertake unsafe sexual practices at a young age. There is also a high rate of sexual assault against children. Such events are often unreported because of the high stigmatization against victims of sexual abuse. Hospital records of assaults that led to injury indicate levels of such behaviour are not decreasing.
The MGEC is developing tools and resources to help young people understand safe touch and their rights for safety. They are also targeting parents to empower them to talk with their children about safety.
Education is being provided to journalists to improve the report of rape and sexual violence in the media. The goal is to move from victim blaming to acknowledgement that responsibility lies with the perpetrator of sexual assault and gender based violence. Lawyers are being provided with specialist training to improve their ability to work with and represent victims of sexual violence in court.
Trafficking under Mongolian law
In 1996, amendments to the Criminal Code (1986) introduced the first provisions addressing trafficking-related offences in Mongolia. As a result, the first case of trafficking was successfully prosecuted, involving a Russian national trafficked two Mongolian girls, aged 18, and 19.
A revised criminal code including laws prohibiting trafficking came into effect in 2002, however articles remained vague and ill-defined. Under Article 113 (Sale and Purchase of Humans), the sale or purchase of human beings is punishable by a fine (51 to 250 times the minimum wage), obligatory labor for 300 to 500 hours, or by a prison sentence of up to 3 years.
The MGEC lobbied the government to implement laws and procedures to protect victims and witnesses from prosecution resulting from their testimony given against traffickers.
Continued campaigning by the MGEC has resulted in further improvements to Mongolian laws regarding human trafficking.
1. Mongolia signed the Palermo Protocol in May 2008
2. In February 2008, Article 113 (Sale and Purchase of Humans) was revised;[12]
3. In March 2008, the official Legal Interpretation of Article 113 (Sale and Purchase of Humans) of the Criminal Code of Mongolia was developed from the Supreme Court of Mongolia. This led to a significant improvement in the number of cases that resulted in prosecution.
Partner organizations
Domestic Organizations
- Ministry of Social Welfare and Labour
- Ministry of Justice and Home Affairs
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs
- State Centre of Civil Registration and Information
- General Police Department
- Border Protection General Board
- Security Policy Studies Centre
- National Centre for Children
- Metropolitan Youth Agency
- Centre of Population Study and Research at the National University of Mongolia
- Centre for Human Rights and Development
- Mongolian Women’s Fund
- National Centre Against Violence
- Dulguun Fund
- Ger Initiative
- Nisora Fund
- Dureen Sanaa Foundation, etc.
International Organizations
- The Asia Foundation
- Australian Aid
- The Canada Fund
- Canadian International Development Agency
- The Global Fund for Women
- International Labour Organization
- International Organization for Migration
- South Asia Women's Fund
- The Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation
- UNICEF
- UNFPA
- USAID
- Vatican’s Representative
- World Vision
MGEC is a member of the following organizations:
- Global Alliance Against Traffic in Women (GAATW)
- End Child Prostitution, Child Pornography and Trafficking of Children for Sexual Purposes (ECPAT Mongolia)
- International Association of Women’s Rights
- Network of NGOs for the Development of Ger District
References
- "The Global Alliance Against Traffic in Women (GAATW) - The Global Alliance Against Traffic in Women (GAATW)". www.gaatw.org. Retrieved 2019-11-12.
- United States Department of State
- "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2010-04-26. Retrieved 2010-04-12.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
- Mongolian Gender Equality Centre NGO General Information Publication. (2010)
- "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2009-07-09. Retrieved 2010-04-12.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
- Mongolian Gender Equality Centre NGO General Information Publication. (2010)
- Pre-Departure Orientation Programme Report. E. Khishigbayar, MGEC Human Trafficking Project Coordinator.(2008)