Understanding and Managing internal migration in Mongolia

Project completed
Ulaanbaatar city suburban distrct view
Ulaanbaatar city suburban distrct view ©IOM

This project aims to contribute to improved management of internal migration in Mongolia - the main driving force behind rapid urbanization which poses increasing development challenges to the capital city Ulaanbaatar and rural areas of origin. Consistent integration of the migration perspective into planning and implementation of policies and actions will mitigate negative consequences of unmanaged migration and thus contribute to poverty reduction. Switzerland will add value to the project through its long-standing expertise in the migration field.

Country/region Topic Period Budget
Mongolia
Migration
Migration generally (development aspects and partnerships)
01.08.2019 - 31.12.2023
CHF  3’483’140
Background Mongolia has experienced massive rural-to-urban migration to the capital city Ulaanbaatar (UB). Largely as a result of these arrivals, 48% of 3.2 million population lives in Ulaanbaatar. The majority of migrants are economically active people aged 25-39 years whose reasons for migration are search for employment, better living conditions and greater access to services. Most migrants reside in the ger areas of UB where access to services is insufficient and unequal, and where air pollution levels are highest. The life in the capital city thus fails to meet migrants’ expectations, increasing the likelihood of them falling into to the ranks of urban poor or leaving the country to look for better livelihoods abroad. The latter trend has picked up in the last years, indicating that if the situation is not addressed, Mongolia might increasingly loose its young population with ensuing negative impact on the country’s development.
Objectives The project goal is to improve socio-economic well-being of internal migrants in Mongolia through evidence-based, migration inclusive policies and concrete interventions on the ground aimed at enhanced access to information and services.
Target groups
  • Prospective female and male migrants in rural areas and actual migrants in Ulaanbaatar.
  • Government of Mongolia, including sectoral ministries, agencies, municipal and local governments.
  • National University of Mongolia and civil society organizations.
  • Host communities in UB ger areas.
Medium-term outcomes
  • The Government of Mongolia has improved quality of national data on internal migration for evidence-based policies and programs.
  • Internal migration is mainstreamed into national, local, and sectoral policies.
  • Vulnerabilities of internal migrants are reduced through improved access to information, services and targeted programmes.
Results

Expected results:  

  • Officials of the National Statistics Office and the UB Emergency Management Agency increased their technical capacity to systematically collect and analyze data on mobile populations in UB
  • Proposal to integrate internal migration indicators into national census and surveys is submitted to the National Statistics Office for approval
  • Relevant stakeholders have access to a broader knowledge base for policy making (situational analysis and in-depth thematic studies)
  • Action plan with long, medium, and short-term policy actions is submitted for approval to MLSP/GoM to mainstream migration into policies and actions, and technical support for implementation of the Action Plan is provided
  • Internal migration-related information is available for prospective migrants in rural areas and actual migrants in Ulaanbaatar through communication campaigns
  • Personnel of 152 khoroos[1] including social workers and kheseg leaders as well as staff of Citizens’ Integrated Service Centers in UB have increased capacity to provide migration-related information and support (e.g., psychological counselling), especially to female migrants
  • NGOs in UB and rural areas, especially those operating in provinces with highest outmigration rates have improved capacity to deliver migration-related information and services, especially to female migrants
  • Opportunity-based interventions based on findings of in-depth thematic studies and newly generated migration data are implemented to reduce internal migrants’ vulnerabilities

 

[1] Khoroo is the smallest administrative units below district in Ulaanbaatar City.

 


Directorate/federal office responsible SDC
Credit area Development cooperation
Project partners Contract partner
United Nations Organization (UNO)
  • International Organisation for Migration


Coordination with other projects and actors Urban Governance Project funded by SDC and implemented by the Asia Foundation and Municipality of Ulaanbaatar (MUB)
Budget Current phase Swiss budget CHF    3’483’140 Swiss disbursement to date CHF    3’220’313
Project phases

Phase 1 01.08.2019 - 31.12.2023   (Completed)