ADB to provide $3 million grant to Mongolia for prevention of violence against women and children
AKIPRESS.COM – The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a $3 million grant to help Mongolia prevent and respond to violence against women and children through safer schools, improved survivor support services and effective policy reforms, the ADB press service reported.
The financing comprises a $1 million grant from the Asian Development Fund (ADF) and a $2 million grant from the Japan Fund for Prosperous and Resilient Asia and the Pacific (JFPR), financed by the government of Japan through ADB. It will be complemented by $1 million in government financing.
The Preventing and Responding to Gender-Based Violence in Mongolia project will help create safer learning environments for about 19,500 students, including children with disabilities, by upgrading four school dormitories with safety, security and disaster-resilient features. It will also launch comprehensive prevention programs in 12 schools, providing updated learning materials, staff training, community engagement activities and digital safety initiatives to address violence in schools and online.
“The project will make learning safer and enjoyable for children and young people while strengthening services and support systems for survivors of gender-based violence. By working with schools, communities, service providers and policymakers, the project will test innovative approaches that can be scaled up through government programs to help reduce violence against women and children, and promote healthier, safer communities,” ADB Country Director for Mongolia John Juhyun Jeong said.
Despite progress in implementing local laws and policies, violence against women remains a significant challenge in Mongolia. More than half of women aged 15–64 have experienced intimate partner violence, but social norms discourage many survivors, particularly in rural areas, from reporting abuse or accessing support. School-related violence, cyberbullying, and online harassment are also increasingly threatening children and the youth.
The project will boost support services for survivors and at-risk youth through recovery, rehabilitation and empowerment programs, while building the capacity of teachers, social workers, psychologists and other frontline service providers. It will also support policy and institutional reforms to strengthen prevention and response to violence against women, including efforts to address new forms of online abuse.
