There were 80 participants including: around 30 women’s groups/ NGOs for women’s human right from capital city and local provinces; 35 women from remote areas including minority and ethnic groups for whom it was their first time opportunity to address there issues to the international level; international NGOs; and researchers. A number of participants were also survivors of violence against women including human trafficking, rape, sexual harassment and domestic violence.

The Consultation highlighted the impact on women of the economic transition from communism to a free market economy which has led to a reversal of Mongolian women’s position with decreasing access to public services, economic disparity and increasing poverty which are all having a greater impact on women. Furthermore, traditional notions of women are being brought back to justify the subordination of women. Women’s groups emphasised the need to push the government to implement the newly enacted (2004) Domestic Violence Legislation. Various other strategies for addressing VAW at the community and national level were also outlined.

The UNSRVAW met with the local media during a press conference directly following the Consultation during which the UNSRVAW was able to highlight many of the most pressing concerns relating to VAW raised in the Consultation and highlight the role of the media in educating the general public about violence against women. She also highlighted the major deficiencies in terms of implementation of the Domestic Violence legislation and emphasised the need for government to develop mechanism through which to implement the law and lent her support to the participants appeal for a National Plan of Action. The press conference was very well covered in the National media including 3 TV stations (3 times) and 2 newspapers.

The UNSRVAW also met with a number of government representatives and officials including a Mongolian Parliament member who is the chairman on Standing committee in social policy; Consultant on social policy for Mongolian Prime Minister; Department deputy director of Ministry of Justice and Internal Affairs; Head of Secretariat, National Gender Committee on Gender Equality; and Head of Public Administration Division, Implementing Agency of Mongolian National Authority for Children. During this meeting the UNSRVAW was able to raise many of the key concerns arising from the Consultation and delivered the national consultation’s conclusions and presented the recommendations for government arising from the Consultation. On pushing for the need for National Plan of Action to combat Domestic Violence, the decision makers present promised that the national action plan to combat domestic violence will be adopted by March, 2007.

In follow-up of the Consultation, the National Centre Against Violence (NCAV) is working with other women’s NGO on implementing a strategy/action plan for addressing violence against women in Mongolia based on the recommendations from participants in the Consultation. Furthermore, NCAV is assisting a participant of the Consultation who is a survivor of trafficking to make an individual complaint to the UNSRVAW and UNSR on Trafficking. NCAV also reported the finding of the Consultation to the UN Gender Team Group meeting. Chairman of the Group noted implementation of the law on domestic violence is a serious issue in Mongolia and expressed his interest to report on it and asked for practical information to follow-up on this such as how much funding dies it need and what exact activities are needed to take it up at next UN Gender Team group meeting. As a result NCAV is currently preparing to submit a report about the Domestic Violence law implementation process and make recommendations for urgent actions to improve the implementation with a budget to the UN Gender Country Team meeting. NCAV will also be following up closely on the UNSRVAW’s 2007 report to use it as a lobbying document for further government action.