The State Great Hural (Parliament) of Mongolia, along with co-hosts Stanford University’s Walter H. Shorenstein Asia-Pacific Research Center (APARC) and the Ban Ki-moon Foundation For a Better Future, announced today the convening of the second annual Trans-Altai Sustainability Dialogue to stimulate cooperative action toward achieving the United Nations-adopted 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Held in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, on April 25-26, 2024, this gathering will focus on expediting action advancing peace, justice, and strong institutions — the vision captured in Sustainable Development Goal 16 (SDG 16) of the Agenda’s underlying 17 SDGs.

The Trans-Altai Sustainability Dialogue is a subregional convening of the Trans-Pacific Sustainability Dialogue, a joint initiative of the Ban Ki-moon Foundation and Shorenstein APARC held annually to scale action on the SDGs by activating new research and policy partnerships between experts from the United States and Asia and between governments and non-state actors. This year’s second annual Trans-Altai Sustainability Dialogue builds on networks and partnerships established at the June 2023 inaugural subregional Dialogue, which focused on promoting gender equality (SDG 5). This year, the subregional convening aims to provide a substantive platform for engagement on SDG 16, facilitating the exchange of best practices and policies to strengthen the capacity of local, state, and global institutions to reduce conflict and inequalities, enhance justice accessibility, and promote fair governance.

The vision encompassed in SDG 16 is at the core of the 2030 Agenda: that of a world anchored in commitments to promote more peaceful societies, provide access to justice for all, and build accountable, inclusive institutions at all levels. The embedding of SDG 16 in the 2030 Agenda acknowledges that peace, justice, and inclusion are necessary conditions for global development. Nevertheless, having crossed the midway point in the implementation period of the 2030 Agenda, none of the targets of SDG 16 are on track. Available data disconcertingly show stagnation, or even reversal of gains on SDG 16 targets related to violence reduction, access to justice, inclusive governance, and peaceful societies.

That is why the Trans-Altai Sustainability Dialogue sets out to tackle the imperative to share successful actionable approaches to achieving SDG 16 indicators and identify strategies to propel its implementation forward over the next seven years.

The first day of the gathering, held at the State Palace of the Parliament of Mongolia, will consist of multiple panels featuring government officials, academics, civil society experts, and industry leaders from the United States and across Asia. Keynote speakers and panelists will discuss lessons learned from initiatives addressing structural social injustices; evaluate strategies for building accountable and inclusive institutions for sustainable development; consider opportunities for strengthening the participation of developing countries in global governance through digitalization; and examine the role of international organizations in achieving SDG 16.

Headliners include Ban Ki-moon, the 8th secretary-general of the United Nations and chairman of the Ban Ki-moon Foundation For a Better Future; Zandanshatar Gombojav, chairman of Mongolia’s Parliament; Nurlanbek Shakiev, speaker of the Kyrgyz Republic’s Parliament; Lezsák Sándor, deputy speaker of Hungary’s National Assembly; Rakhmetova Assem Kalashbaeva, member of the Senate of the Parliament of Kazakhstan; and Gi-Wook Shin, the William J. Perry Professor of Contemporary Korea at Stanford and director of APARC. Panelists hail from the United States and multiple regions across Asia, including Azerbaijan, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, South Korea, Taiwan, Turkey, and Uzbekistan.

“Indeed, Goal 16 is the golden thread that weaves through the whole fabric of the SDGs. As such, attaining Goal 16 requires a genuinely inclusive multi-stakeholder partnership where everyone participates, works, and shares the benefits together,” notes Mr. Ban Ki-moon. “In this regard, I believe this event of the Second Trans-Altai Sustainability Dialogue will contribute to resonating with the essential spirit of SDGs; inclusiveness.”

“As we look to galvanize the resources needed to expedite action on SDG 16, the Trans-Altai Sustainability Dialogue offers the multi-stakeholder convening force needed to identify which SDG 16 targets resonate most in a regional context and can drive advancements across national constituencies,” says Gi-Wook Shin. “We are pleased to see this convening, the result of our broader Sustainability Dialogue initiative, establishing itself as a thriving subregional platform for implementing a global development agenda and excited for our continued collaboration with the Ban Ki-moon Foundation and our partners in Mongolia.”

Recognizing the role of subregional frameworks and networks in translating development policies into concrete actions at the national level, the first day of the convening will also include parallel sessions that will delve into strategies for promoting peace, justice, and inclusion through Altai Studies. These sessions will address issues including Central Asian and Mongolian perspectives of democratic transition and current trends in the studies of Altai history, languages, and culture. The second day of the dialogue will be dedicated to a field excursion and cultural events designed to foster a dynamic and inclusive atmosphere conducive to stimulating brainstorming and idea sharing for future collaborations.

Please visit the Mongolian Parliament’s website and Facebook page for more information about the conference and live updates.

About the Walter H. Shorenstein Asia-Pacific Research Center
The Walter H. Shorenstein Asia-Pacific Research Center (Shorenstein APARC) addresses critical issues affecting the countries of Asia, their regional and global affairs, and U.S.-Asia relations. As Stanford University’s hub for the interdisciplinary study of contemporary Asia, APARC produces policy-relevant research, provides education and training to students, scholars, and practitioners, and strengthens dialogue and cooperation between counterparts in the Asia-Pacific and the United States. Founded in 1983, APARC is home to a community of distinguished academics and practitioners in government, business, and civil society specializing in cross-Asia-Pacific trends. For more, visit aparc.stanford.edu.

About the Ban Ki-moon Foundation For a Better Future
The Ban Ki-moon Foundation For a Better Future follows and further develops the achievement and philosophy of Ban Ki-moon, the 8th Secretary General of the United Nations through upholding the values of unification, communication and co-existence, and dedication. It promotes three pillars of the UN, including peace and security, development, and human rights, and contributes to making a better future devoid of conflict and deficiency. In particular, the Ban Ki-moon Foundation actively collaborates with the UN, international organizations, and stakeholders toward achieving the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals and realizing the 2050 carbon net-zero of all state parties of the 2015 Paris Climate Accord. For more, visit eng.bf4bf.or.kr/.

Media Contact
Journalists interested in covering the Trans-Altai Sustainability Dialogue should contact Enkh-Undram Bayartogtokh, Chief of Staff for the Chairman of The State Great Hural (Parliament) of Mongolia, at enkhundram@parliament.mn. For further information on the convening, please contact Cheryll Alipio, Shorenstein APARC’s Associate Director for Program and Policy at calipio@stanford.edu.

Mongolia, a nation bordered by China and Russia, does not usually attract much public attention. Its success so far in containing COVID-19, however, is well worth considering.

Any of several factors could make Mongolia highly vulnerable to COVID-19: its weak healthcare system, its proximity to China, the first epicenter of the coronavirus, and its close ties to South Korea, which experienced one of the largest initial outbreaks of COVID-19 outside China and which is home to a relatively large population of Mongolian migrant workers. Yet Mongolia’s strategy in fighting the pandemic seems to have worked well thus far for its 3.2 million people.

In the following post, Dr. Gendengarjaa Baigalimaa, a gynecological oncologist at the Mungun Guur Hospital in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia’s capital, discusses the country’s response to the pandemic and its implications. Baigalimaa was a 2013-14 postdoctoral fellow on developing Asia health policy with APARC’s Asia Health Policy Program.

This is the second installment in our series, “Stories in a Time of Pandemic,” in which APARC alumni across Asia share their perspectives on the responses to and implications of COVID-19 in their communities. You can read the first part in the series, featuring reflections by several former Global Affiliates Program Fellows.

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Dr. Gendengarjaa Baigalimaa

As of May 17, 2020, the number of new coronavirus infections in Mongolia has reached 136. All of them are imported cases, including four foreigners and 132 Mongolians who came from abroad. They have been treated by the National Center for Communicable Diseases and some have been discharged as totally recovered. Most notably, there have been no reports of community transmission.

Following the World Health Organization's recommendation of January 22 that countries begin considering containment measures, Mongolia immediately activated its inter-agency State Emergency Commission in support of the Ministry of Health as a lead agency in the response against the coronavirus outbreak. The Mongolian government made an unprecedented decision to close all schools and kindergartens starting January 25. All classes are now being conducting via TV and the internet.

Already in mid-February, with the pandemic's spreading in China, the Mongolian government’s strategy was to adopt decisive preventative measures, including the cancelation of the national holiday Tsagaan Sar, the Mongolian lunar new year, and closure of all travel between Ulaanbaatar and provinces outside the capital. Mongolia also closed its borders with China and Russia, stopping the inflow and outflow of people, and banned international flights from all airlines. The government has been mobilizing its citizens to return home from countries like South Korea, Japan, Turkey, and Russia. Those arriving are quarantined for an extended 21-day period, with multiple coronavirus screenings.

The use of masks, especially from early November, when flu season starts and air pollution worsens, is already familiar to Mongolians. This season, the government has enforced mask-wearing in public places. In the capital city of Ulaanbaatar, the requirement that all employees at government offices, banks, shops, and markets wear masks was imposed as early as January 25. The State Emergency Commission would issue fines of 150,000₮ (54 USD) for violating the order. At the same time, health professionals and community leaders conveyed the importance of mask-wearing and handwashing and worked to increase sanitation at all public places.    

These steps have helped immensely to contain the spread of COVID-19. They have also had the added benefit of sharply reducing the number of flu infections. At the start of the flu season last year, almost 12.7 percent of all hospital visits were flu-related, compared to 1.8 percent this year. Another unexpected benefit was the drop in gastrointestinal infections among children. Children were staying home and washing their hands properly. As a result, there have been no cases of gastrointestinal infections registered this year so far.

“Not only did Mongolia close its borders early and move promptly, but also did a great job at quarantining evacuees from overseas immediately upon arrival and taking safety measures,” said Mr. Sergey Diorditsa, the WHO representative to Mongolia. He praised the country’s economic stimulus measures and noted that prolonged restrictions may adversely affect its social and economic sectors and that WHO Mongolia is conducting a study on the in-country impacts of COVID-19. Indeed, data provided by the National Statistical Office shows that the country’s economy is expected to decline sharply due to the adverse effects of the pandemic.

Mongolia’s urgent response to COVID-19 offers lessons for vulnerable communities on containment of the coronavirus and prevention of its spread. The country is also a relevant case study for the economic repercussions of the pandemic.

Cervical cancer is the third most common cancer among women worldwide and Mongolia has one of the highest incidence rates in Eastern Asia. Prevention and early detection programs are essential to counteract its prevalence, especially in developing countries.

However, women encounter barriers to knowledge and access to cervical cancer screening services in Mongolia – a country with low population density. The urban–rural divide, lagging healthcare reform, and cultural differences are cited as core factors leading to lack of awareness and treatment.

Gendengarjaa Baigalimaa

To address the rising burden, a national cervical cancer screening program was implemented in August 2012 by Mongolia’s Ministry of Health (MOH) facilitated by a grant from the Millennium Challenge Corporation.

Gendengarjaa Baigalimaa, the 2013-14 Developing Asia Health Policy Fellow at Stanford’s Walter H. Shorenstein Asia-Pacific Research Center in the Freeman Spogli Institute, has been evaluating the effects of that program. She serves as a gynecological oncologist at the Mongolian National Cancer Center (NCC). Her early findings show that awareness of cervical cancer has increased, and more women and girls are now getting screened. Gendengarjaa recently talked about her research, which she will present at a seminar on April 9.

What does your “typical” patient look like at the NCC and how has your work informed your research?

Patients typically arrive at the NCC with an advanced stage of disease – 70 percent of these women have progressive forms of cervical cancer. Of course it is not easy to work with patients who are this far along, especially if we are unable to offer full palliative services. As the only cancer center in the nation, just 10 gynecological oncologists are available to take on the high demand for treatment services. Healthcare providers and policymakers designed the Mongolian Cervical Cancer Program to address the alarming incidence rate. My research analyzes behavioral change before and after the introduction of the national screening program, bearing in mind my experiences with my own patients.

What does the national cervical cancer screening program facilitate? 

Local doctors and midwives received training on how to administer cervical cancer screening.

Before the program was implemented, regular cervical cancer screening did not exist in Mongolia. The program diffused and strengthened primary care screening services (Pap test) as well as prevention programs. Gynecological doctors from the NCC were systematically dispatched to the 338 soums or districts throughout the nation. They trained local doctors and midwives on how to administer the Pap test.  The program coordinated two initiatives: a pilot HPV vaccination program for girls aged 11-15 years from four select areas and a Pap test program for women aged 30-60 years. The women and girls who participated are urged to get screened every three years thereafter. Health education campaigns were also broadcast on select television and radio programs targeted at women and girls.

Comparing a survey taken at the program’s outset in 2010 to your survey at the program’s conclusion in 2013, what behavioral changes have been observed?

Our preliminary results have shown increased knowledge about risk factors and screening services. Women in both rural and urban areas are now more informed about cervical cancer risk factors. Awareness of the need for a Pap test increased from 15.3 percent in 2010 to 45.3 percent in 2013. The respondents also reported being more educated about the suggested frequency of visiting a doctor, and the availability of services outside of Ulaanbaatar. Due to increased knowledge, 54.2 percent of the women surveyed confirmed that they had attended cervical screening services.

What impact did the program have on younger generations?

We analyzed mothers’ attitude toward the HPV vaccination and their openness to their daughters receiving it. Awareness of the vaccine’s ability to prevent cervical cancer improved from 15.3 percent in 2010 to 45.3 percent in 2013. Our results show that 81.7 percent of mothers agreed on the importance of vaccination for their daughters once they become aware of the option. The same study conducted in 2010 showed only 28 percent of the respondents were aware of the vaccine’s existence and its connection to cancer prevention. Positive perceptions toward vaccination are very important because the vaccine can prevent one of the major causes of cervical cancer.

How were geographical divisions and local stigmas toward cancer considered?

An example of a poster that advertises cervical screening now found in local clinics.

Mongolia has 21 aimags or provinces further divided into numerous baghs or villages; each population has different priorities. Cultural relevance is key in advertising and implementing cancer screening and vaccination programs. For example, the program sought out input from local women’s and community groups in each aimag to inform about local customs. Cervical cancer screening was also linked to important events in a women’s life, i.e. becoming a mother or grandmother, to make it easier for the patient to validate resources spent. The program also set up a system of sending personalized invitations for screening during patients’ birthday months every three years.

What secondary reinforcements were used to campaign for cancer screening?

Media and targeted marketing were used to strengthen the message outside of the doctor–patient setting. Printed materials were placed in family practice clinics. The first lady of Mongolia generated media attention regarding the HPV vaccine for young girls. Beyond individual counseling, group awareness and other reinforcements can motivate participating women to follow treatment recommendations and reinforce satisfaction. The hope is that these women will then encourage other women to get screened.

Gendengarjaa will present her research with Naranbaatar Dashdorj, founder and chairman of the Onom Foundation and a 2014 Sloan Fellow at the Stanford Graduate School of Business, on April 9. The event is open to the public; more information can be found by clicking the link below.