"CONVENTION ON CHILDREN'S RIGHTS-MONGOLIA" REPORTS ACHIEVEMENTS

Ulaanbaatar /MONTSAME/ An event themed “Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) and Mongolia” was co-ran Wednesday by the National Authority for Children and the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the international Convention. Mongolia was one of the first five countries to join and ratify the CRC in 1990. A presentation on the implementation of the Convention in Mongolia, its results and achievements of cooperation was given to the public and the children. Out of 700 participants 250 were adults, including representatives of international organizations, NGOs, and general education schools, and also some 450 children. The children's questions about education, police, human rights, child protection and promotion for children’s participation were answered by representatives of the ministries of Education and Sciences, Health, and of Population Development and Social Welfare, Ulaanbaatar Police Department, the National Authority for Children and NGOs. "Red Scarf" children’s ensemble at the National Broadcaster, and dancers from the Mongolian Children’s Palace together with State Honored artist B.Ganchimeg gave a performance. The children gathered sang a birthday song for the 25th anniversary of the CRC. The event was interpreted in sign language for children with hearing disabilities. Teachers, social workers and officials of some NGOs were awarded honorary certificates and medals. The achievements made since the commencement of the CRC in Mongolia include: an increase of early childhood education enrollments from 35% to 68% in 1990-2013; under five child deaths were reduced by more than 1/3 since 1990; percentage of children who are underweight dropped by over 90% since 2000; as of 2006, corporal punishment is illegal in schools; in 2000-2013, cases of under-five child mortality from diarrhea decreased 65%; from 1990 to 2014, primary education enrollment increased from 75% to 96%; in 2008-2013, coverage to prevent mother to child transmission of HIV increased from 0% to 67%; primary school completion rate reached 98% compared to 75% in mid 1990s; 68% of Mongolians got access to clean and safe drinking water; full immunization coverage increased from 68% to 78% between 2005 and 2013; since 2003, maternal deaths declined from 109.5 to 42.6 per 100 000; 99% of births of children were registered; iodized salt use increased by 2/3 between 2000 and 2013; iodized salt helped children survive and thrive; Mongolia eliminated measles in 2014; in 2013, nearly 99% of all child births were attended by skilled professionals; today, more than half of Mongolians are using improved, unshared sanitation facilities; in the last decade the investment targeted to children increased by 11.7 reaching one trillion Tugrug in 2013; over 95% of young people (between 15-24), and 97% of adults were literate; social work as a new profession to protect children was introduced in 1997; today, 16 higher education institutions have courses for social workers; first ever nationwide toll-free, 24/7 child helpline was launched in 2014; law on protection of child rights–1996; promotion of a Multi-disciplinary Approach to Child Protection since 2005; establishment of national and local institutions for children’s rights since 1991; cases of infant mortality decreased from 77 in 1990 to 26 in 2013; 9 common indicators for child’s rights are regularly measured and the data on implementation of child’s rights are collected, reported the National Authority for Children.