Mongolia

SOS Children’s Villages ensures that children grow up with the care, protection and relationships they need to become their strongest selves (photo: SOS Children’s Villages Mongolia).

Mongolia is a landlocked country, lying between Russia in the north and China in the south. Around 3.3 million people live in Mongolia, making it the world’s most sparsely populated sovereign nation. The capital Ulaanbaatar is home to roughly half of the country’s population. Mongolia has a rich and diverse history that goes back to prehistoric times. Around 30% of the population is nomadic or semi-nomadic, and horses are an integral part of their culture. Since its independence in 1992, the country has seen a remarkable economic growth. However, Mongolia suffers from the effects of climate change, which in turn affect education, nutrition and poverty levels.

SOS Children’s Villages has been supporting children and young people without parental care, or at risk of losing it, in Mongolia since 2000.

Children are at risk

Mongolia has been working on different growth initiatives to improve the lives of children across this very sparsely populated country. Children account for 33% of the total population, and most of them live in the capital Ulaanbaatar. However, it is difficult to reach the children in rural areas, who are part of the nomadic population, and they often miss out on schooling. Children are also more vulnerable to the many climate risks Mongolia faces, which in turn means they live in poverty without access to nourishing food
68%
Of rural children are enrolled in early childhood education

Education

68% of children in rural areas attend early childhood education, compared to 89% in the capital Ulaanbaatar. However, it is difficult to reach children of nomad communities. To solve this, the government provides housing next to schools, and also offers remote classes and e-learning for nomadic families. There is also a risk of children not being able to go to school due to the consequences of climate change. Finally, there is a lack of accessibility of education for children with disabilities and ethnic minority groups.

28%
Of Mongolia’s population is poor

Poverty

Poverty is still widespread in Mongolia. 28% of the population lives in poverty. Surprisingly, many of these poor people live in urban areas rather than in rural areas. Indeed, as people in rural areas have to face difficult weather conditions, many move to cities. However, they move to the outskirts of a city, where the quality of life is very low. They search for jobs for which they are underqualified, in one of the most polluted cities in the world. Children are most vulnerable to this poverty.

21%
Of the population is undernourished

Malnutrition

21% of the population is undernourished. 80% of the agriculture in the country is focused on raising livestock. However, this livestock is in danger, due to Dzuds, a phenomenon specific to Mongolia when cattle die due to starvation in severe climatic conditions. This affects the herders, who are dependent on their livestock. Children in Mongolia are even more vulnerable to malnutrition, 9% of children under 5 suffer from stunting, which is a low height for age.