Swiss fundamental values, such promoting and respecting human rights and gender mainstreaming, have been integrated into law-making and public finance management processes.
Democratic Governance: The Bedrock of Sustainable Development
For over 20 years, Switzerland has been instrumental in advancing democratisation and decentralisation in Mongolia, which are crucial foundations for achieving the SDGs. SDC in Mongolia has invested 62.9 million USD—nearly one-third of its budget in Mongolia—to support these efforts for a democratic governance.
Over these years, key legislative institutions, including the Parliament of Mongolia and Citizens’ Representative Khurals (local parliaments), have significantly improved their organisational and institutional capacities for law-making, representation, and oversight. Mongolia’s Parliament was the first worldwide to undertake gender sensitivity self-assessment and the 13th to conduct a human rights sensitivity review in collaboration with the Inter-Parliamentary Union and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. Executive government institutions, such as the Ministry of Finance, the Municipality of Ulaanbaatar, and province government offices, have enhanced their capacities to effectively implement key public financial management laws, including the Integrated Budget Law and Public Procurement Law, for the effective utilisation of public resources.
At the organisational level, all government institutions have streamlined transparency and accountability in their processes. Local and state budget cycles and decision-making processes have become more transparent. Various social accountability mechanisms have been piloted and institutionalised, empowering civil society organisations (CSOs) to hold the government more accountable for its actions.
Switzerland has significantly improved service delivery in Mongolia through its support for developing and establishing One-Stop Shop (OSS) public service delivery centres, which have evolved into Mongolia's premier Integrated Government Service Centres. These centres effectively streamline access to more than 450 government services, providing efficient and timely assistance to citizens and legal entities. Their operational budgets have been integrated into provincial budgets, ensuring long-term sustainability.
Empowering Citizens and Strengthening Accountability
One significant initiative was the introduction of participatory budgeting by the SDC, allowing community members to directly influence the allocation of a portion of the state budget. Citizens are now monitoring state-funded projects through improved public investment management, citizen budget booklets, and grant projects for CSO networks. The delivery of education and health services has increased due to new social accountability mechanisms introduced at the sub-national government level, coupled with capacity-building programs for CSOs and local governments.
Citizen engagement in the law-making process has been institutionalised at the national level thanks to enhanced parliamentary oversight. Citizens can now provide feedback and complaints on draft legislation documents via digital systems. This improved citizen engagement has enhanced government efficiency in delivering public services and strengthened parliamentary law-making and oversight capabilities.
Digital Transformation and Governance Processes
Switzerland's emphasis on digital transformation has significantly enhanced public service delivery, budget monitoring, law-making processes, health services, and capacity building for government personnel. These efforts, particularly during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, have been pivotal in advancing democratic governance, transparency, and accountability.
For sub-national government capacity building, www.khural.mn has become a digital platform for sharing experiences and training newly elected Citizens’ Representative Khural (local parliament) members regardless of location. This training platform saves time and costs for local parliaments to fulfil their need to train their newly elected members every four years.
The digitalisation and decentralisation of services at the Municipality of Ulaanbaatar (MUB) level, coupled with the digitalisation of Local Development Funds (LDFs), have enhanced the sustainability of public services that respond to citizens' needs. Switzerland contributed to the digitalisation of 30% of MUB's archival documents and the decentralisation of citizen registration for all khoroos[1]. The launch of MUB's e-service platform enabled 40,000 MUB civil servants and residents to benefit from over 70 digitised and integrated municipal services.
Strengthening Legislative and Oversight Capabilities
With SDC’s support, Mongolia's parliament adopted the Law on Parliamentary Oversight to bolster democracy and oversight. Following the law’s adoption, Parliament established five ad hoc committees, with two remaining operational. Three of these committees conducted public hearings on major corruption scandals, such as the coal theft and Development Bank cases. These hearings ensured citizens' rights to information on issues affecting public interests, presenting evidence and facts related to these cases publicly.
One significant advancement was the introduction of tools and methodological guidelines for budget analysis before their submission to Parliament. Prior to SDC's support, the budget was often approved without formal parliamentary scrutiny. This new process has ensured a more thorough and transparent examination of budget proposals.
With the support of the Swiss Parliamentary Service, new tools and methodologies for evaluating law implementation were introduced to the Mongolian Parliamentary Secretariat. These tools equip the secretariat to effectively oversee and assess the government's execution of legislative tasks, further enhancing the capacity for robust and accountable governance.
Additionally, the Parliamentary Education citizen engagement program was developed. Manuals were created for children aged 12-17 for training sessions conducted with over 700 children and 102 teachers. Parliamentary debate competitions involved over 500 students, enhancing their legislative skills and understanding. SDC also established Legislation Promotion Centers in five provinces to boost parliamentary transparency and citizen engagement.
Local Governance
In addition to establishing a favourable legal framework, SDC has significantly improved the capacities of local self-governing bodies in Mongolia. Over 8,000 local councillors were trained, equipping them to fulfil their roles effectively, particularly in oversight and participatory decision-making following three rounds of local elections. Special attention was given to enhancing the leadership capacity of female councillors, promoting equal representation of women and men in local councils.
In the MUB, SDC supported civil servant training. The MUB’s Human Resource Development Center (HRDC) was fully institutionalised, and its program was extended to 16,006 entry-level civil servants and middle management, utilising 34 practice-oriented, case-study modules. This training program has been recognised for its effectiveness in building local governance capacities. The MUB also developed a horizontal learning platform for khoroo staff to share best practices, leading to the HRDC obtaining two ISO certifications.
The Future of Transparent and Accountable Governance
In the recent elections, Mongolia has once again demonstrated its commitment to democracy and its determination to uphold and implement fundamental principles. With the enactment of new Constitutional amendments in 2024, these elections marked a significant step forward. These amendments have led to the establishment of a more diverse and inclusive parliament, with women now holding a historic high of 25% of seats. This figure surpasses the regional average of 21.2% in Asia and underscores Mongolia's steadfast dedication to the core values of democracy.
In the ongoing fight against corruption, Mongolia has also made considerable progress. According to the OECD (2019), petty corruption has seen a notable decline. The country's efforts in enhancing budget transparency have been equally impressive, as evidenced by the Open Budget Indexes rising from 46 in 2017 to 62 in 2023, placing Mongolia among the top-ranked countries globally for budget transparency.
The remarkable achievements in governance and democratic development in Mongolia stand as a testament to the successful collaboration between the Mongolian government and its international development partners, including the SDC. These democratic advancements highlight just a fraction of the collective effort, with numerous other partners and international organizations playing vital roles in fortifying Mongolia's democratic institutions and processes.
As the world continues to change and new challenges emerge, Mongolia is poised at the brink of new opportunities. After 20 years of support in Mongolia, during which the country achieved middle-income status and strengthened its democracy, the SDC has decided to phase out its involvement from mid-2024.
In this evolving landscape, Mongolia must continually reflect on and adapt its democratic values, processes, rules, and laws to ensure they remain effective and responsive to the needs of its people. Sustaining the high standards of democracy achieved will require ongoing vigilance and a commitment to embracing new circumstances with resilience and innovation. The journey ahead is filled with promise, and Mongolia's dedication to nurturing its democracy will light the path forward.
