Mongolian National Federation of Disabled People's Organizations

Mr. Tseden Oyunbaatar is the president of the Mongolian Federation of Disabled People's Organizations.  The federation was established in 1997 as an NGO.  In 2004, several organizations merged their efforts to establish a lobby group to seek change in public law through the Parliament.  Seven public laws were passed to address the needs of disabled people.  In 2009, Mongolia participated in the International Convention on Disabled Persons.

The Mongolian laws apply to all soums and aimags equally.  The federation works with the social welfare system to monitor progress and implementation.  Funding only pays for activities; not salaries. 

Currently, 97,000 Mongolians have been identified with some form of physical or mental disability.  A classification system is needed along with guidelines that delineate the government's responsibility in assisting disabled persons.  The current program is administered under the Ministry of Welfare rather than the Ministry of Health.

Mongolians with disabilities are stigmatized and marginalized by society, in general.  Presently there are no teachers or education programs to assist people with special disabilities.  The federation currently has no capacity for training new teachers to address the needs of the people. 

Mr. Oyunbaatar believes that the first step is to conduct a National Needs Assessment for the government.  We discussed the history of the US in addressing these issues.  I suggested that the Americans with Disabilities Act might provide his organization some ideas on potential draft legislation to help Mongolia's disabled persons.  Obviously, significant cultural differences exist between our nations, however, America's long struggle to adequately address the needs of the disabled may provide a model for Mongolia to consider.

Mr. Tseden Oyunbaatar, President, Mongolian National Federation of Disabled People's Organizations is pictured on the far left.

We're Going to the Parliament!

Hatnaa, Einkhtaivan (our driver) and I were finishing up lunch at the New Century Restaurant (real Mongolian cuisine) when Hatnaa's phone rang.  He talked excitedly for a few minutes and then announced "Let's finish up.  We've been invited to Parliament.  MP (Member of Parliament) Sundui Batbold wants to meet with us!

I don't know about you, but I've never been invited to meet a member of the US Congress much less an MP in Mongolia.  We're about to have an incredible experience - maybe once in a lifetime experience.  The State Great Hural consists of 76 elected representatives in a unicarmel legislative body.  It is rare for "outsiders" to be invited.  We sent our credentials to the Government House security agency.  Twenty minutes later, I'm presenting my passport and being ushered in to MP Batbold's office.

MP Batbold is also chair of the Parliament's Local Development Committee.  When it comes to local economic and community development in the national government, he's the man you want to meet.  We spent about 30 minutes discussing local reform in Mongolia and administration of local government in particular.  The government wants to empower local decision making, and the 2013 federal budget greatly increases the amount of discretion that local authorities have in terms of their own growth and development.  Currently, local elected leaders have little to no real power to effect change in their own communities without the direct say-so of the central government.

We discussed the difficulty in building local capacity to implement reform and the challenges of training local leaders and citizens in an environment where there is no experience in transparency and accountability.  Many cities lack even the most basic infrastructure to build upon let alone improve the quality of life amenities that Americans take for granted like roads, parks, sidewalks, water and sanitary sewer systems.

I really appreciated the opportunity to meet and discuss these issues with MP Batbold.  I learned a lot about the stark realities and challenges that he and his fellow legislators face in transforming a nation from a communist form of governance to a democracy and free market economy.  These are issues that I've encountered in every single meeting that I've had while in Mongolia. 

 

MP Sundui Batbold, State Great Hural (Parliament) of Mongolia

 

Several foreign delegations are in UB this week.  The Thailand delegation is staying at my hotel.  On the way to Parliament, we caught a glimpse of the military band preparing for a state welcoming ceremony in front of Government House.  They were decked out in their traditional Mongolian regalia.  Very cool!

 

 

Mongolian State Ceremony on Sukhbaatar Square in front of Government House

 

 

My good friend Marco Polo and me hanging out in Parliament!