The Mongolian Gender Equality Center (MGEC; ) is a

non-governmental organization A non-governmental organization (NGO) is an independent, typically nonprofit organization that operates outside government control, though it may get a significant percentage of its funding from government or corporate sources. NGOs often focus ...

based in

Ulaanbaatar Ulaanbaatar is the Capital (political), capital and List of cities in Mongolia, most populous city of Mongolia. It has a population of 1.6 million, and it is the coldest capital city in the world by average yearly temperature. The municipa ...

, Mongolia, established in 2002 to fight the growing crime of

human trafficking Human trafficking is the act of recruiting, transporting, transferring, harboring, or receiving individuals through force, fraud, or coercion for the purpose of exploitation. This exploitation may include forced labor, sexual slavery, or oth ...

in Mongolia, with a focus on protecting young women and girls, the primary group affected. The MGEC has lobbied to improve legislation against human trafficking. It also runs prevention, awareness and advocacy programs relating to human trafficking, along with providing legal advocacy, shelter, counseling services and vocational training for repatriated victims of trafficking. The organization 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.

Notable 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 The International Organization for Migration (IOM) is a United Nations related organization working in the field of migration. The organization implements operational assistance programmes for Human migration, migrants, including internally displa ...

. Since then the program has provided 679 VOTs with assistance from the MGEC including

repatriation Repatriation is the return of a thing or person to its or their country of origin, respectively. The term may refer to non-human entities, such as converting a foreign currency into the currency of one's own country, as well as the return of mi ...

, rehabilitation and reintegration into the Mongolian community. Between 2016 and 2017, 63 victims of trafficking were identified and provided with complete reintegration assistance.

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 Domestic violence is violence that occurs in a domestic setting, such as in a marriage Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes r ...

and abuse.''Pre-Departure Orientation Programme Report.'' E. Khishigbayar, MGEC Human Trafficking Project Coordinator.(2008)

Partner organizations

MGEC is a member of

Global Alliance Against Traffic in Women Global Alliance Against Traffic in Women (GAATW) is a network of more than 80 non-governmental organizations from all regions of the world that fight against trafficking in persons. GAATW is committed to work for changes in the political, econom ...

(GAATW).

References

External links

* {{official website, https://en.stoptrafficking.mn/
US Department of State Trafficking Report_2017

US Department of State Trafficking Report_Mongolia
2002 establishments in Mongolia Organizations that combat human trafficking Contemporary slavery in Asia Gender equality Human trafficking in Mongolia Organizations established in 2002