Parliament discusses human rights report in plenary session

According to its founding law, the National Human Rights Commission of Mongolia tables its annual report on situation of human rights and freedoms in Mongolia to the Parliament within the first quarter of each year.

The 18th Annual Report on Situation of Human Rights and Freedoms in Mongolia, tabled in Parliament on 29 March 2019, covered the following six topics:

• Human rights education policy and its implementation in Mongolia
• Sexual and reproductive health and rights of women with disabilities
• Situation of sexual harassment in the workplace
• Prevention of torture
• Labour rights of emergency management agency personnel"
• Status of implementation of the Law of Mongolia on Promotion of Gender Equality by relevant state authorities.

The Parliament discussed the Commission's Annual Report during its plenary session on 17 May 2019, following a decision of the Parliamentary Sub-committee on Human Rights and the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Legal Affairs.

It has been 14 years since the Parliament discussed the Commission's Annual Report during its plenary session.

The National Human Rights Commission of Mongolia delivered 25 proposals to the Parliament for its consideration, including two proposals pertaining to the torture issues.

For example, Mongolia ratified the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (OPCAT) in 2014.

Under OPCAT, Mongolia shall establish a national preventive mechanism for the prevention of torture at the domestic level. In this regard, the Commission has requested the Parliament to address the issue of establishing a national preventive mechanism as quickly as possible.

In addition, a number of parliamentarians reiterated the need to revise the Law on the National Human Rights Commission of Mongolia urgently. Currently the revised draft law is under the consideration of the Ministry of Justice and Home Affairs.

As a result of the discussion, the Parliament supported the following decisions:

• The Parliament shall openly discuss the National Human Rights Commission's annual report during its plenary session every year;
• To include a discussion item on establishing the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Human Rights and Civil Education in the upcoming session of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on State Structure;
• For the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Legal Affairs to issue a resolution for the implementation of the recommendations and proposals reflected in the Commission's 17th and 18th annual reports.

In addition, the Parliament gave an order to relevant authorities to prepare information related to the human rights issues for the public hearing on violence against children to be held on 29 May 2019.

Source: National Human Rights Commission of Mongolia