On 7 June 2023, ESCAP conducted a one-day event on social protection in Mongolia. The event was convened in collaboration with Ministry of Labour and Social Protection (MLSP) and the United Nations Resident Coordinator Office.

The morning session discussed the draft report on Mongolia’ Readiness to Implement the Action Plan to Strengthen Regional Cooperation on Social Protection in Asia and the Pacific and gathered over 50 participants from key Departments, the national agencies on Social Protection, as well as key international entities and research institutes. Participants discussed the non-contributory and contributory systems in Mongolia, following the presentation delivered by the Acting State Secretary and Director of Policy Planning Department, Ms. А. Khishigbayar, with a focus on the objectives of the social protection policy reform that is underway, and debated the proposed recommendations to implement the 12 national actions in the Action Plan. The consultation provided a useful forum for debate as the Government embarks on a reform of the General Law on Social Insurance and Pension Payable from Social Insurance Fund to ensure its financial sustainability, in line with international standards.

In the afternoon, ESCAP conducted a workshop on its SPOT Social Protection Simulator. The Meeting strengthened capacity of participants to identify the impact of non-contributory social protection benefits on key development outcomes such as poverty, inequality and consumption and the cost of these interventions. Participants highlighted its usefulness to strengthen advocacy and the evidence base on social protection.