10 - 11 October 2012, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

The National Human Rights Commission of Mongolia organized an international conference entitled “Mining and Human Rights in Mongolia” on 10^th and 11^th of October 2012 in Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia, with support of the United Nations Development Programme, the Secretariat of Asia Pacific Forum of National Human Rights Institutions and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation.

This international conference  was attended by around 200 people including high level representatives of the state,  regional and local administrative bodies, herders, artisanal miners,  mining companies, civil society organizations, media, academics, Members of the  Asia Pacific Forum of National Human Rights Institutions, representatives from Embassies, the UNDP, and  the United Nations Working Group for Business and Human Rights.

Conference participants commend the progressive policy of the Government of Mongolia to develop responsible mining and to strengthen environmental protection. Participants recognize the important contribution mining makes to Mongolia but also recognize the many negative side effects mining can have, intended or unintended. Participants wish to ensure that economic and other benefits of mining are maximized and distributed to all Mongolians. At the same time, participants wish to ensure that negative impacts are minimized through the implementation of effective laws and where human rights abuses by business have occurred, effective remedies are available and accessible.

 Conference participants point out that human rights in Mongolia are being violated due to the lack of a human rights approach to mining policies and practice; the current legal environment and the lack of effective regulations. Participants further point out that the lack of a human rights approach is compounded by poor implementation of existing laws and regulations and a complete lack of coherence between relevant departments.

Participants commend the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (Guiding Principles) and call on all sectors of society:  the state, business and civil society to play their respective roles in implementing the Guiding Principles.

In order to protect the Mongolian people, participants unanimously stressed the urgent need for the state to further develop and implement policies and laws to regulate the mining sector in that give effect to  provisions from all relevant UN Treaties, applicable industry codes as well as the Guiding Principles, and, ensuring consistent implementation.

The following recommendations are based on comments from conference participants highlighting the importance of the cooperation of all parties in developing responsible mining policies and practices based on a human rights approach.

Rесоmmendations from international conference “MINING AND HUMAN RIGHTS IN MONGOLIA” recommendations-from-international-conference.pdf [165.04 Kb] (Count: 76)