A 4-year-old boy greets visitors outside his home in the outskirts of Ulaanbaatar.

UNICEF in Mongolia

UNICEF works closely with the government to meet the needs of children and families in Mongolia, where more than a million people still live as nomadic herders. Learn more, including how to help.

Challenges for children in the Land of the Blue Sky

By many measures, Mongolia, a landlocked, lower-middle-income country situated between Russia and China, is doing quite well. The nation has enjoyed substantial economic growth and social progress since the early 1990s, when it reverted to a market economy after 70 years as a Soviet satellite, and reorganized the government as a parliamentary republic with a democratically elected president.

Yet, more than one in four people live below the poverty line — nearly one in three in rural areas. And while government spending on social services is considerable, social protection programs do not always reach those most in need due to system constraints.

The logistics of reaching every child with health and other services is challenging. While 69 percent of Mongolia's population of 3.4 million, which includes 1.3 million children, live in urban centers, the remaining 31 percent live as nomads, scattered across the country's vast territory of over 600,000 square miles.

UNICEF is there, advocating for child rights and helping to improve their lives.

The dreaded dzud and other climate emergencies in Mongolia fuel humanitarian needs

Progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals in Mongolia has been mixed — solid or moderate in some areas, such as poverty reduction, education, gender equality and clean energy, while lagging behind in others, such as climate action and ending child hunger.

And Mongolia is highly vulnerable to climate change. Dzuds — prolonged periods of severe winter weather — have become both more severe and more frequent, requiring emergency support for affected families.

When dzuds happen, large numbers of livestock die, primarily from starvation as they are unable to graze, or in some cases freezing to death — destroying livelihoods and food security. The 2023-2024 dzud was particularly bad: 7.4 million animals died, impacting 150,000 people.

In summer, heavy rainfall can cause flooding, another natural hazard, and an increasingly unpredictable and destructive one. Air pollution, also exacerbated by climate change, is a major threat to child survival and development.

In maternal and child health, the country has achieved significant progress. Under-5 child mortality and infant mortality rates have declined by over 60 percent, and maternal deaths by over 70 percent, since 2000.

National child immunization rates are close to universal — around 95 percent — though there are disparities across geographies in terms of access to equipment and qualified doctors.

And chronic malnutrition among children is down. However, more than a quarter of all children ages 6 to 11 are overweight or obese, and vitamin A and vitamin D deficiencies are rampant among children under age 5.

So are respiratory illnesses, driven by the country's poor air quality. The issue is especially acute in the capital city, Ulaanbaatar, where most households in densely-populated, low-income ger districts still use coal-burning stoves for heating and cooking, with diverse effects on maternal and child health during winter.

A ger is a traditional-style mobile home, a circular wood-framed tent wrapped in yak felt. Ger districts are permanent settlements that blanket the city's outskirts, the result of an uptick in migration from the outer provinces during the 2000s and 2010s.

A lack of safe water and sanitation infrastructure in these communities — as well as in the nation's many small towns and rural areas — is another issue. Dwindling freshwater sources and other climate change impacts have affected water accessibility and safety all across the country. In many provinces, drinking water contains unsafe levels of radon, lead and other heavy metals.

Industrial smokestacks spew smoke in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia's capital city, and one of the world's most polluted. — Ulaanbaatar is one of the most polluted capital cities in the world. Industry is only partly to blame. In fact, the largest contributor of air pollution comes from household use of coal-burning stoves for heating and cooking in the densely-populated ger districts during the cold season. UNICEF works with the government and other partners in Mongolia to address the problem as part of its overall mission in the country to protect the right of all children to live in a healthy environment. © Maryanne Buechner for UNICEF USA

There are challenges in children's education as well. The vast majority of children in Mongolia complete primary school; the rates are 93 percent overall, and 91 percent among girls. In rural areas, children typically live in school dormitories to make attendance feasible beginning at age 6 or 7. Yet many children living in nomadic and pastoral communities, as well as children with disabilities, are often deprived of educational opportunities.

Early childhood education, considered crucial for healthy development, is becoming more accessible as Mongolia moves toward a national integrated early childhood development (ECD) strategy with UNICEF's support. Yet attending kindergarten is still a challenge for children living in remote places.

UNICEF is working with the government and other partners in Mongolia to address these and other issues, while making sure that efforts to meet immediate humanitarian needs are also serving the country's longer-term development goals.

A teacher helps two kindergarten students start on an art project inside a UNICEF-supported mobile ger kindergarten in Altanbulag, Tuv province, Mongolia. — A teacher helps two kindergarten students start on an art project inside a mobile ger kindergarten in Altanbulag, about 30 miles west of Ulaanbaatar in Tüv province, south-central Mongolia. UNICEF works with provincial governments in the country to enhance early learning for preschool-aged kids, especially those living in rural areas and in nomadic communities, as part of a broader early childhood development strategy. © Maryanne Buechner for UNICEF USA

What UNICEF is doing to support children in Mongolia and promote their rights

UNICEF has maintained a presence in Mongolia since the 1960s, overseeing vaccinations and other activities from a regional office. The UNICEF Mongolia country office opened in 1992 to ramp up direct support to children and families in three high-needs provinces. In 2022, with Country Representative Evariste Kouassi-Komlan at the helm, the team adopted an ambitious plan to expand UNICEF programming and partnering efforts nationwide.

Continued close collaboration with the government is considered essential as UNICEF expands into all 21 provinces, Kouassi-Komlan says. "We work to build relationships across sectors," he told UNICEF USA. "We work with partners to help develop innovative solutions and test models for action the government can then scale. We demonstrate where it makes sense to invest. And every $1 UNICEF invests yields $1,000 worth of impact when leveraged locally."

A mother holds her sleeping infant after a full morning of physical therapy and other services at the National Nursery, an early childhood development center in Ulaanbaatar supported by UNICEF. — U. Tsogtmend ("call me Tsogtoo") holds her infant son after a full morning of physical therapy and related services at the National Nursery, a UNICEF-supported early childhood development center in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. The family was referred for services at the facility by their pediatrician when, at 1 year and 3 months old, the child was not yet crawling and exhibiting other signs of developmental delays. After a month of regular sessions in the exercise room and other support activities with staff specialists, the boy was nearly walking. "I was sad before, but I am very happy now," Tsogtoo told UNICEF USA. With support from UNICEF, the center was able to add staff, upgrade rooms and equipment and expand its reach to help more children in need. © Maryanne Buechner for UNICEF USA

Priority program areas include health, nutrition, education, water and sanitation and climate change and social protection.

In 2023, Mongolia approved an integrated ECD action plan to accelerate child-centered and holistic childbearing — a striking departure from the free-range, hands-off parenting approach of previous generations, and reinforced through UNICEF-supported "parenting clubs" and other community-based programs providing a range of ECD guidance and training to caregivers.

The plan emphasizes nutrition, protection, responsive care and early learning as foundational for a child's developing brain and body. Already there are some well-established ECD centers in UB and in some provincial capitals thanks to UNICEF's support, including from UNICEF USA donors.

When there is extreme winter weather or another natural disaster strikes, UNICEF is there to support the emergency response. During the 2023-2024 dzud disaster, UNICEF supported government-led emergency relief efforts by providing health and hygiene kits and other lifesaving supplies and mental health and psychosocial support to affected children and families, and helping to clear roads to restore access to essential services.

Engaging young people — empowering them with knowledge and skills, and preparing them to become leaders and change agents — is a top priority. UNICEF helped form a Teen Parliament in 2021.

A doctor in Mongolia tests a young student for the infection that causes strep throat as part of a UNICEF-supported program to standardize testing and treatment for the illness. — A health worker swabs a child's throat to test for strep as part of a UNICEF-supported national public health initiative in Mongolia. © Tong Su for UNICEF USA

Improving children's health in Mongolia

Most UNICEF funding in Mongolia goes toward health programs. UNICEF Mongolia works closely with local and provincial governments to ensure continued access to essential services — providing direct support to primary health centers, helping to train community health workers and otherwise strengthen health care service delivery, paying particular attention to vaccination. There is universal health coverage, provided by the government.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, UNICEF provided technical assistance and equipment to help build out the nation's cold chain, which helped avoid a backslide in immunization coverage across the board.

In 2023, UNICEF helped launch a program to screen all school children for the bacterial infection that causes strep throat — a common illness in kids that often goes undetected and untreated, heightening risks of cardiovascular disease later in life. UNICEF supplies antibiotics and is helping to standardize the testing and treatment referral process.

As his son and a few neighbors look on, a father adjusts the settings on his "CHIP"unit — a clean energy solution for cooking, heating and insulating a traditional ger home that UNICEF and partners have introduced in Mongolia to help curb air pollution and reduce associated health risks for children in the country. — As his son, two of his daughters and a neighbor look on, G. Jargal adjusts the settings of his "CHIP" unit — a clean energy solution for cooking, heating and insulating a traditional ger home. UNICEF and partners supported a pilot program introducing the CHIP in Ulaanbaatar and three other urban centers in Mongolia in an effort to catalyze action toward curbing air pollution and reducing associated health risks for children in the country. ***Learn more.*** © Maryanne Buechner for UNICEF USA

Taking aim at Mongolia's air pollution problem: converting from coal to clean energy at home

Helping Mongolia tackle its air pollution problem is another top priority. Improving indoor air quality in particular is considered critical for reducing rates of respiratory illness among children and improving their general well-being.

A UNICEF-supported initiative called CHIP (short for a line of cooking, heating and insulation products) introduced a replacement for the coal-burning stove. By the end of 2023, some 2,000 of these alternative units had been purchased and installed in individual households, schools and community centers around Ulaanbaatar and three other urban centers.

The success of the CHIP pilot helps lay the groundwork for a wider roll out as part of a broader Clean Air Action Plan. Government financing along with low-interest bank loans help keep the units affordable for families.

Primary school children in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, stand side by side at a row of sinks to brush their teeth, part of a UNICEF-supported program promoting oral health and hygiene. — One of many UNICEF-supported health programs in Mongolia promotes dental hygiene by training children to brush their teeth starting at an early age, making it part of the school routine. Teachers introduce concepts of oral hygiene and tooth decay using toys and games, and UNICEF distributes materials for the classroom that help explain the importance of avoiding candy and other sugary foods and drinks. © Tong Su for UNICEF USA

Improving water quality helping to build sustainable, climate-resilient water and sanitation systems

Mongolia is also working to strengthen the resilience of water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) systems, an integral part of the country's climate change response. UNICEF is supporting this work through actions like using renewable energy, improving water and energy efficiency, reducing emissions and generating energy from waste.

UNICEF is also involved in helping to:

install indoor WASH facilities in schools and health facilities — not only out of respect for human dignity and human rights, but also to promote hygiene practices and menstrual hygiene management
create climate-resilient, energy-efficient water and sanitation facilities in schools, kindergartens and student dormitories
transform water wells into smart water kiosks that provide round-the-clock water access and setting up teams to maintain hygiene around these kiosks
build WASH facilities (showers, toilets, sinks) in schools and community centers
establish Water Safety Councils and water safety plans

Children in Dundgobi province sit in a classroom eating a nutritious meal prepared by the school's own kitchen staff using equipment and other support provided by UNICEF as part of its commitment to helping improve child nutrition in the country. — At a primary school in Dundgobi province, Mongolia, children eat a nutritious meal prepared by the school's own kitchen staff using equipment and other support provided by UNICEF as part of its commitment to helping improve **child nutrition** in the country. © Tong Su for UNICEF USA

Ensuring equal access to quality education — from early childhood to adolescence

One of the main challenges in education in Mongolia is a lack of opportunities for early learning, a key aspect of healthy development during a child's first years.

UNICEF Mongolia supports and helps implement a variety early childhood education programs, including mobile kindergartens, tented learning spaces for that can be relocated to meet nomadic families where they are; "Tablet Teachers" to support instruction in informal settings; and audio lessons loaded onto a handheld digital device UNICEF distributes directly to families.

UNICEF also provides technical and other assistance to the Ministry of Education to help strengthen the country's education system in ways that benefit students of all ages.

These efforts include:

revising class curricula to improve foundational learning outcomes
advancing inclusive education for the most disadvantaged children, including children with disabilities and girls and boys from remote and minority populations
supporting the GIGA initiative goal of ensuring stable internet connections at all 859 public and private schools

School children wait to be tested for strep throat as part of a UNICEF-supported initiative to do nationwide screenings and improve treatment protocols in the country. — Schoolchildren in Dundgobi province, south-central Mongolia. © Tong Su for UNICEF USA

Protecting children's right to grow up in a safe and protective environment

Mongolia lacks a comprehensive child protection system to effectively prevent and respond to violence, exploitation and abuse of children. Harmful social norms and practices remain prevalent; nearly half of all children aged 1-14 experience violent discipline, for example.

Access to the internet, meanwhile, has heightened a range of protection risks for children, from cyber-bullying to emotional and sexual abuse and exploitation.

UNICEF is helping to strengthen child protection in Mongolia through a range of interventions, including the roll out and expansion of child protection case management and referral services; strengthening capacities of child protection and social service workforces; promoting positive discipline practices among teachers and parents and assisting with justice system reforms.

Supporting the "Digital Nation" vision for Mongolia

UNICEF supports the government's vision for Mongolia to become a Digital Nation, by undergoing a digital transformation across various fields while also fostering digital literacy.

In health, this means digitizing medical records and other health information, making them part of the government's E-Mongolia service platform, which is helping to streamline processes, improve patient services and reduce costs.

In education, UNICEF is focused on implementing the Digital Community Information Workers initiative to build the digital skills of teachers, so that they in turn can support other school staff and community members in accessing technologies and digital learning platforms.

A young girl in Mongolia heads off to school. — Murkhnaran, 7, lives within walking distance of her school in Saintsagaan soum, Dundgobi province, Mongolia. Her afternoon classes include two hours of math, an hour of Mongolian and an hour of civics lessons. Her mother is a health worker, her father a policeman. Primary school attendance is quite high in Mongolia — over 90 percent for both boys and girls. UNICEF supports government efforts to improve the quality of education in the country, while also working to increase access to early learning for younger children, as part of a broader early childhood development strategy — a national priority in the country. © Maryanne Buechner for UNICEF USA

UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to create a more equitable world, where every child can be healthy, educated, protected and respected. Learn more.

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TOP PHOTO: Four-year-old J. Khuvituguldur greets visitors outside the home he shares with his mother and father and five siblings in Ulaanbaatar. The family used to use a coal-burning stove to cook and keep warm in winter, a common practice that is a major contributor to the city's air pollution problem and high rates of respiratory illness among children. Working with the government and other partners, UNICEF is helping to drive adoption of a replacement unit that runs on electricity — a crucial step toward improving indoor air quality and reducing associated health risks. © Maryanne Buechner for UNICEF USA

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