Country Assistance Strategy
Mongolia

1 National context

1.1 Socio-economic and humanitarian evaluation

Mongolia is one of the most sparsely-populated countries in the world, with a population of 2.5 million people inhabiting 1.5 million square kilometres. The 1990s have been a period of transition from communist rule to democracy and a market economy. The sudden withdrawal of subsidies, an average of 37% of GDP, from the former Soviet Union resulted in a deterioration in social services, increased unemployment and poverty. During the last three years Mongolia has seen four new governments, all from the democratic coalition holding a majority in the parliament. Greater stability is expected following the election due next June. While growth in the economy and herd size has led to material improvements for some, there remains a large number of people who are unemployed and living in difficult circumstances.

Life expectancy in Mongolia is 64.25 years, and the mortality rate for children under five is 47.8 per 1000. Assessments indicate that one out of every four children is undernourished. Through effective immunization, many childhood diseases have been successfully tackled. However, there is an increase in non-communicable diseases such as cardiovascular diseases and cancer. On the social side, the gap between rich and poor is becoming more apparent. According to the latest survey, made in 1998 by the National Statistics Office, 36% of the population is living below the LSMS poverty line (<110 US$/year). Eighty per cent of the population has access to safe water, though sources are limited in areas bordering the Gobi desert. The main environmental problem is desertification which is aggravated by an arid climate and fragile soil. Areas of the country are regularly affected by natural disasters, most frequently floods, steppe and forest fires, and heavy snowfall, the latter affecting the high number of livestock (33.5 million).

1.2 Vulnerability analysis

Mongolia has an extreme climate with very cold winters that bring with them heavy snowfalls. Natural disasters such as drought, strong winds and dust storms, floods, steppe and forest fires and earthquakes are common. In 1998 strong winds affected large parts of the country, causing the loss of about 40,000 cattle and leaving many households destitute. Eighty per cent of Mongolia, and 70% of the urban areas, are located in active seismic zones.

There has been a deterioration in the quality of public services due to lack of funding to maintain water systems, to provide medicines and equipment for basic health care, to supply school material for children and pay the already very low salaries for teachers, doctors and nurses, let alone paying pensions. Poverty is made visible by the continued presence of street children, increased alcoholism and suicides, and growing crime. Effective external support is essential, as is the delivery of that support to the most vulnerable, including female heads of household, the elderly, the unemployed, the disabled and the very poor.

1.3 Analysis of the funding and assistance / co-operation environment

External assistance to Mongolia during the period 1990-1997 amounted to US$ 1.5 billion, of which 60% was in loans and 40% in grants. A number of United Nations agencies are active in Mongolia. The World Bank and the IMF also have offices in Ulaanbataar. Its programmes are basically driven by the national priorities of Mongolia and are divided into five main areas of support: women and children, poverty eradication, economic transition and governance, sustainable use of natural resources, and prevention of HIV/AIDS and STD. The UN agencies are addressing these national priorities as a team rather than each agency individually.

2 National Society Context

The Mongolian Red Cross Society (MRCS) has 25 branches covering each of the country's 21 provinces and its metropolitan areas. A revised version of the Society's statutes, in accordance with the country's NGO Law, came into effect following an extraordinary congress held in April 1998.

With support from the International Federation, the Society designed a development plan for 1995-1997 and expanded it to include 1998. Its implementation was supported by the Japanese, South Korean and German Red Cross Societies. The development programmes and several relief operations helped to distinguish the Society from the Government and have significantly changed the public image.

An evaluation of the Three-Year Development Programme took place late in 1998. It was positive about the progress made by the Society and recommended continuing along a similar path of development for another three years, mainly to consolidate the achievements obtained during the first phase.

During the second phase of the Development Programme (1999-2001), the Mongolian Red Cross is taking into consideration the recommendations of the evaluation and also the Hanoi Declaration. The priority programmes are:

National Society Development

Priority will be given to building financial sustainability through income generation and fund-raising, and aiming at strategic and operational planning. A decentralization process will also be a priority for the Society during the next three-year period, enabling branches to serve the most vulnerable in an effective way.

Health and First Aid

The MRCS plans to carry out campaigns on how to prevent diseases and accidents, and to provide knowledge on health and first aid through this programme by expanding its scope. In addition, the MRCS will continue to implement the agreement signed with the Government of Mongolia on a blood donor programme.

Dissemination/Information

The programme aims to strengthen the position and image of the Red Cross and increase its prestige, as well as intensifying activities to introduce to the public, nationwide, the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, its Fundamental Principles, emblem, and the Geneva Conventions. Campaigns dedicated to the new millennium will be conducted.

Youth

The purpose of this programme is to support Red Cross Youth Committees nationwide and improve the activities of the Junior Red Cross in local branches. It will train future Red Cross volunteer trainers who will be working in the educational department, and organize social work to assist the most vulnerable.

Social Welfare

The purpose of this programme is to aid the decentralization process of the Red Cross branch of Ulaanbaatar, extend the community-based social care and social service activities, and establish humanitarian centres in the different districts of the city.

Disaster Preparedness

This is an area where the National Society will devote some time and energy in improving its capacity. Activities have to be organized in a more co-ordinated and planned way and outputs need to be improved. It is essential for the MRCS to continue implementation of the Disaster Preparedness Programme, to expand the scope of the project and increase its capacity.

3 Priorities and objectives for Federation assistance

The Federation will continue, in co-operation with Participating National Societies, its support to the Mongolian Red Cross Society over the next two years. It will do this through support and assistance provided by the Regional Office in Bejing and  the Regional Delegation in Kuala Lumpur . PNSs will also be involved in technical assistance, e.g. the Australian Red Cross in the Blood Programme and the Republic of Korea National Red Cross in the Youth Programme. The Federation presence will remain until 2001, after which support will be provided through the Regional Office.

The main Federation aims are:

To assist in building the management capacity and enhance the self-reliance of the Mongolian Red Cross Society

Expected results: development of improved management structures and systems; better trained and more skilled staff; more developed branches; improved financial management; increase in NS income and diversification of income sources.

To support the National Society in the development of programmes which are more responsive and focused on the most vulnerable

Expected results: needs assessments carried out - NS capacity improved; programme activities designed to focus on the most vulnerable; improvement in quality of monitoring and evaluation; development of better management of the DP and health programmes.

A final evaluation of the National Society's development plan, with the involvement of the MRCS, the PNS and the Federation, should take place during the last quarter of 2001 and terms of reference for the evaluation should be set no later than the first quarter of that year.

Liaison between the MRCS and embassies, international organizations and NGOs will continue, in order to facilitate a more diversified financial and material support for the Society.

4 Priority programmes for Federation assistance

4.1 Disaster response

There is no ongoing programme at present but Federation assistance will be provided as a matter of course in the event of a major disaster.

4.2 Disaster preparedness

The Federation will seek through technical assistance to support the MRCS in:

• strengthening the capacity of disaster preparedness and improving management of MRCS DP activities

• expanding the scope and nature of project involvement and improving the effectiveness and the outputs

• improving governance and management of regional disaster preparedness centres

• improving the training programme on disaster preparedness and establishing systems to assess the performance of trained volunteers

• developing better links with State agencies and NGOs for purposes of exchange of information, training and fund-raising.

4.3 Health education and services

Through the Regional Delegation and the Federation Representative, the Federation will:

Support the National Society in assessment of health and first-aid activities, the improvement of its reporting system, further guidance and training for volunteer trainers, expansion of health and first-aid activities for vulnerable groups, and dissemination activities for blood donor recruitment and the Society's STD / AIDS awareness campaign.

4.4 Promotion of humanitarian values

The Federation will seek to:

Support the National Society in strengthening its position and image, and disseminate the activities of the Red Cross/Red Crescent Movement to the authorities and general public.

Support the National Society in increasing the number of Red Cross Youth members, volunteers and member organizations, increasing the number of Junior and Youth Clubs nationwide and improving and expanding the activities of the Red Cross Youth.

4.5 Institutional and resource development

Support the National Society in strengthening human resources and capacities, improving financial management and reporting, developing activities aimed at income generation/fund-raising, assisting the Society in developing its Red Cross Law, supporting branch development and decentralization of the branch in the capital city.

Support the National Society in the establishment and running of humanitarian centres serving the most vulnerable groups in the capital city, and ensuring the sustainability of these centres.

5 National Society activities currently supported by donors, particularly those
   within the Movement

6 Resource mobilization strategy

During the first phase of the development programme for the Mongolian Red Cross, a Development Contract between the five parties involved was signed (MRCS, German, Japanese and Republic of Korea Red Cross Societies and the Federation) although not committing any of the parties financially.

During the new, three-year phase, the MRCS plan of action has been adapted to funds already pledged by interested National Societies. Additional funds will be utilized for activities already developed but not included in the plan of action. Together with the MRCS, potential donors will be approached in-country for specific activity support and funding. Members will be encouraged in a more active way to pay their membership fees, appeals for public support will be launched during and after disasters, and mini projects will be "sold" to interested donors or private individuals and companies.

7 Criteria and process for evaluating the assistance strategy and assessing
   possible risks

Monitoring will be done by the Regional Office in Beijing, in co-operation with the Regional Delegation in Kuala Lumpur, through regular visits and quarterly programme progress reports. The progress reporting will also serve as an instrument for discussions during visits from the Regional Office / Delegation in order to identify needs for revision of implementation. The quarterly progress reports will also include a financial status from an external auditor.

An evaluation will be scheduled for the second half of 2001, with the participation of the National Society, interested PNSs and the Federation. The terms of reference will be set in accordance with the recommendations of the 1998 evaluation of the first stage of development co-operation.

The critical assumptions to be made are:

• Continued commitment from the governance and management of the MRCS;
• Continuing good working relations between the Federation, PNSs and the MRCS;
• The development plan is realistic;
• The resources of the MRCS are not diverted to deal with a large-scale disaster.

8 Budget overview (2000)
(in CHF)