Let's discuss at the UN - Unworn Masks

April 29, 2018, 11:35 pm

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©UNICEFMongolia/UNYAP/2018

What can we do to help reduce air pollution in Ulaanbaatar and protect us and our families? A hundred of young Mongolians were trying to find an answer to this question during the “Let’s discuss at the UN” event, initiated and organized by the United Nations Youth Advisory Panel (UNYAP) with UNICEF’s support. 

©UNICEFMongolia/UNYAP/2018

The day of the event is a beautiful spring day and the name is Unworn Masks. These were not chosen randomly. Protection from highly polluted air is an important issue in Mongolia, but the problem is easily forgotten in spring, once the temperatures rise and visible smog disappears. The UNYAP’s purpose is therefore to educate the youth on the issue also outside the winter season, when air pollution is the worst due to burning of raw coal for heating and cooking.

“I started worrying about air pollution when I was a university student. My sister is very active on social media and once she shared a post asking what we can do about it. That got me thinking – we all know that air pollution is a problem, but we as young people don’t really know how to fight it. Why do we always talk about it only in winter? Everything changes very slowly here in Mongolia, so we need to do something in advance,” said Nomin-Erdene Z., one of the participants.

©UNICEFMongolia/UNYAP/2018

The danger of PM2.5

To educate young people about air pollution and advise them how to protect themselves, UNYAP invited various experts, who were talking not only about the health effects of toxic air, but also explained what has already been done in Mongolia to reduce the risks. 

“We have a significant child health crisis in the country because of air pollution. For many years, people were talking about air pollution as an environmental issue, but not as a child health issue,” said UNICEF Mongolia Representative Alex Heikens. He added that the problem starts already during pregnancy, since the breathable airborne particles known as PM2.5 can have a negative impact on the fetus. And the list of health problems continues – low birth weight, behavior issues and frequent cases of asthma, pneumonia and bronchitis. 

“I was pregnant last winter and I could immediately tell the difference from my previous pregnancy which I spent in the USA. My morning sickness was much worse here in Mongolia and I had trouble sleeping. I could also feel the difference anytime I left Ulaanbaatar and went to the countryside,” said one of the participants Zaya, adding that thanks to the conference, she finally learnt how dangerous PM2.5 is.

“The particles can get into blood stream, which is why it can negatively influence your mental health. It can cause anxiety, depression, poor performance at school or work and even affect IQ,” explained B.Uugantsetseg, Executive Director of National Center of Psychology. She mentioned that the air pollution has also negative impact on young people’s social life, as they rarely meet each other in the evenings during winter time. 

©UNICEFMongolia/UNYAP/2018

According to Ms Undrakh, a founder of Princess center (NGO helping female victims of violence), air pollution affects working mothers too. As their children get sick frequently during winter, mothers must stay at home with them and their work performance worsens rapidly. 

“Next winter, I will wear the mask more often”

The event also included an interactive workshop, during which the participants got a chance to discuss the topic of air pollution with their peers. As it turned out, the youth already have a lot of ideas on how to protect their health and help reduce the pollution in Ulaanbaatar. Educating their friends and relatives, communicating with local politicians, monitoring the air at their homes and exercising regularly – these were just some of the ideas they had. “Every day we should be grateful and thank our body for working properly,” a participant said.

Since the conference also welcomed many young people with disabilities, the participants got to hear their perspective on the issue. “I learnt today about UNICEF’s initiative on making a Mongolian traditional ger more energy efficient and better insulated. I know that many such ger innovations are happening, but the needs of people with disabilities are never considered,” pointed out one of the participants. “Most people with physical disabilities live in gers, so their special needs must be considered in innovations such as these.”     

The participants also suggested to drive cars less often and walk instead. But especially in winter, this change cannot be safely done without wearing the face masks.  

©UNICEFMongolia/UNYAP/2018

“I have to admit, I don’t wear a face mask during winter. I never really believed it can help. That’s also why I decided to attend this event, to learn more about it and maybe change my mind. Today I found out that masks can provide some level of protection if you wear the right ones with right fit. Next winter, I will try to wear a mask more often,” said one of the participants during the final discussion.

Energy, tools and ideas 

The topic of air pollution was first in the series of events, which will be organized every quarter by UNYAP and held at UN House. The conference clearly showed that young Mongolians are very much interested in what is happening around them – although only one hundred youngsters were eventually selected to participate in the event, the registration form was filled out by over 500 people. These people represented a whole generation of young Mongolians filled with energy and passion to learn, participate and drive for a positive change in the society. 

“You, the young generation, have the energy, tools and ideas, and you can push for change to happen,” said UNICEF’s Alex Heikens in his closing remarks.

Written by

Sabina Netrvalová

UNV Communications

UNICEF Mongolia

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#EveryChildALIVE: Uuriintsolmon from Murun, Khuvsgul province, Mongolia

May 8, 2018, 7:43 pm

≫ Next: #EveryChildALIVE: Sugar-Ochir from Tosontsengel soum, Khuvsgul province, Mongolia

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©UNICEF/UN0204329

Uuriintsolmon from Mongolia was born healthy and, unlike her older sister, remained in good health after her birth. Thanks to the home-care training received with the support of UNICEF, her mother did not make the same mistakes: Her sister had jaundice as a baby – her mother thought she was going to die. She also had a rash and small cuts on her arm because her mother did not bathe her frequently, and she suffered from constant colds because the house was not ventilated. Thanks to the nutrition training, Uuriintsolmon's milk is healthier (Mongolians believe meat, bread and cookies stimulate breastmilk production, while vegetables are better.) Her mother, Bayarmaa Erdenejargal,30, and her father, Nyambat 26, live in Murun city.

Bayarmaa Erdenejargal says:
“I didn’t always know how to take care of my first baby – she had jaundice, skin infections, a runny nose, and felt cold. At one point, I feared she might die. I was very worried about her.
With my second baby, I entered antenatal care much earlier. That was helpful. I learned how to recognize the signs of jaundice, how to bathe her, how to refresh the air in her room, how to keep her warm, and how to feed her. I didn’t bathe my first daughter enough, so she had a few wounds on her arms that got infected. That never happened to my second daughter because I frequently bathed her thanks to the UNICEF training. I also learned that, every two hours, the window should be opened for five minutes to clean the air of the home. Before the training, I thought that closed windows kept a baby warm. But they only gave her frequent colds. When the air is clean, a baby has no stuffy nose. I also learned how to correctly wrap the baby and keep her head [the fontanelle] warm – that’s why I always put on a hat. I didn’t always do that for my first baby. Finally, I learned how to feed my baby. During the training, for example, I learned what kind of foods I should eat to produce good breastmilk. Mongolians used to think that we should eat a lot of wheat – bread and cookies – to enhance breastmilk production. Thanks to the training, I understand a lot of soup and vegetables are better. I now use enriched flour, minced carrots and eggs. Thanks to the UNICEF training, my second baby is much healthier. I didn’t worry so much about her because I knew what was normal and what was abnormal, so I understood the situation. I feel confident now. I wish for my daughter to have a healthy life.”

©UNICEF/UN0198614

In Mongolia, newborn mortality rates have decreased from 10.2 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2014 to 8.7 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2017. In Khövsgöl, Mongolia’s northernmost province, newborn mortality rates have decreased significantly, from 15.4 deaths in 2014 per 1,000 live births to 13 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2017. Despite these advances, challenges remain: malnutrition, long travel distances to maternal health clinics, and insufficient government support to buy essentials (such as medication, micronutrients, newborn hats, masks, staff trainings and education materials) continue to imperil lives.

Birth is a natural process. In recent decades, however, too many rules have started to interfere with the natural way of giving birth. After years of study, experts identified four key life-saving interventions to support a newborn’s survival. First, nurses should wipe and dry the baby right after birth by wrapping the wet baby in two pieces of cloth. (If it remains wet, the baby will cool off. The drying and wiping motions will also support the first few breaths of the newborn.) Second, skin-to-skin contact between the mother and the baby is vital to keep the baby warm. Other benefits, such as the transfer of bacteria that stimulate growth, also occur. Third, the umbilical cord should only be cut after its pulsation movements stop, and all its blood is transferred to the baby. Fourth, breastfeeding should be initiated in the delivery room, right after birth. This should last at least two hours.

©UNICEF/UN0188812

When a baby is born, its body temperature is higher than that of adults, about 37.5 °C. This ensures a newborn remains warm and healthy after the shock of birth. In Mongolia, where winter temperatures can drop to -30 °C, temperatures in some delivery rooms were as low as 11°C, causing newborns to die from problems caused by hypothermia. In 2010, the government, spurred by UNICEF, mandated that all delivery rooms be heated to 25 °C, to ensure babies remain warm. Thermometers were installed to ensure compliance and monitoring. In addition, UNICEF provided inflatable mattresses that can be heated.

Mothers are encouraged to take micronutrient pills to combat iron deficiency anaemia. When a mother is anaemic, she might feel tired during pregnancy and will be very vulnerable if she loses a lot of blood during the delivery. Her children will also feel tired and not perform well at school later.


Since 2014, UNICEF has provided two types of trainings to mothers: One to prepare women for delivery, and one to teach them how to take care of their babies at home. First, one of the most important parts of preparing women for delivery is teaching them about breastfeeding, which is initiated immediately after birth. Mothers learn about the benefits of colostrum – the breastmilk that is produced in the first two days after giving birth. It comes in very small quantities – droplets – and is packed with essential nutrients. If a mother doesn’t know she will only produce very little milk in the beginning, she might start feeding her baby with powdered milk to prevent it from going hungry. Second, expectant mothers learn how to keep their baby warm at home, bathe it, take care of its skin and umbilicus, and spot signs of jaundice and other dangerous infections. Nutrition, during pregnancy and lactation, is another important element of home-care training. While a traditional Mongolian diet includes lots of meat and cookies, it is healthier to eat vegetables and soups. Training include recipes and cooking classes to improve mothers’ intake of vitamins.

©UNICEF/UN0188814

Since 2014, UNICEF has been working with public health officials to develop solutions to address these challenges. Thanks to the solutions put in place by UNICEF – most notably the training of medical personnel in Early Essential Newborn Care in 2014 – newborn mortality rates have decreased. The number of babies who needed intensive care declined from 230 in 2015 to 139 in 2017 on an average of 2,000 births per year. (In 2007, the government recommended that at-risk herder women be transferred to ‘maternity waiting houses’ at provincial health facilities to avoid complications. This policy also significantly reduced newborn deaths. UNICEF provided furniture, cooking appliances and newborn care materials to the maternity waiting houses.) UNICEF is advocating with the Government of Mongolia to pass a national law that would allocate a budget for essential package of maternal and child health care across the country.

#EveryChildALIVE: Sugar-Ochir from Tosontsengel soum, Khuvsgul province, Mongolia

May 10, 2018, 1:21 am

≫ Next: #EveryChildALIVE: Saruulgerel from Murun, Khuvsgul province, Mongolia

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5-day-old Sugar-Ochir from Khuvsgul province, Mongolia. © UNICEF/UN0188808

Sugar-Ochir from Mongolia was born via C-section. His mother is a herder. Her previous babies were born in a very cold and dark room. Thanks to the heated health centre and the micronutrients she took, she delivered Sugar-Ochir feeling warm, and did not feel tired during the pregnancy (iron deficiency can make women feel exhausted and depleted). She said the pills changed her and her baby’s life. His mother, Namjilmaa Naransuren, 38, and the father, Lkagvadorji Dashdavaa are herders, and they live in Tosontsengel soum (subprovince), some 60 km away from the province centre, Murun. The family has 3 boys (aged 18 and 16, and the newborn baby).

Namjilmaa Naransuren says:

“This pregnancy was surprisingly easy for me, compared to my previous two. They were very complicated: I had high blood pressure and was on my own during the pregnancy. When I gave birth in 2000 to my first child, the room was very dark – there was only candlelight – and it was cold. It was very cold, and I was only given a blanket. I felt that the baby was shivering, too. Now, at the health centre, it was so warm – it made a huge difference. I had a C-section because of my age and complications I had previously. So, I was advised to go to the hospital. There, they discovered my baby’s head was facing the wrong way. After the procedure, I was so happy when the baby was put on my chest – I started crying immediately. With my previous two, my babies were separated from me right away. I was constantly worried about them. How were they doing? How were they feeling? I didn’t know. Also, it was very difficult to get my breastmilk flowing back then, but this one latched on quickly. This delivery was so nice – I am ready to give birth many times again! I was so happy because this was a late pregnancy, but I delivered him healthily without complications. During the previous pregnancies, I hardly received any training – how to take care of my baby, how to recognize complications, how to breastfeed, and how to support my own well-being. I was herding in very remote areas and I was on my own during the pregnancy. For example, I felt very tired all the time, even though I was young. But now, for him, I took micronutrient supplements. They changed my life and the life of the boy – I got a healthy baby. Now I don’t feel tired. Now, I could do my house work and other tasks while pregnant. In short, the monthly training was very supportive for me.”

Mother Namjilmaa N. holding her son Sugar-Ochir at a local hospital in Khuvsgul province. © UNICEF/UN0188809

In Mongolia, newborn mortality rates have decreased from 10.2 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2014 to 8.7 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2017. In Khövsgöl, Mongolia’s northernmost province, newborn mortality rates have decreased significantly, from 15.4 deaths in 2014 per 1,000 live births to 13 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2017. Despite these advances, challenges remain: malnutrition, long travel distances to maternal health clinics, and insufficient government support to buy essentials (such as medication, micronutrients, newborn hats, masks, staff trainings and education materials) continue to imperil lives.

Birth is a natural process. In recent decades, however, too many rules have started to interfere with the natural way of giving birth. After years of study, experts identified four key life-saving interventions to support a newborn’s survival. First, nurses should wipe and dry the baby right after birth by wrapping the wet baby in two pieces of cloth. (If it remains wet, the baby will cool off. The drying and wiping motions will also support the first few breaths of the newborn.) Second, skin-to-skin contact between the mother and the baby is vital to keep the baby warm. Other benefits, such as the transfer of bacteria that stimulate growth, also occur. Third, the umbilical cord should only be cut after its pulsation movements stop, and all its blood is transferred to the baby. Fourth, breastfeeding should be initiated in the delivery room, right after birth. This should last at least two hours.

When a baby is born, its body temperature is higher than that of adults, about 37.5 °C. This ensures a newborn remains warm and healthy after the shock of birth. In Mongolia, where winter temperatures can drop to -30 °C, temperatures in some delivery rooms were as low as 11°C, causing newborns to die from problems caused by hypothermia. In 2010, the government, spurred by UNICEF, mandated that all delivery rooms be heated to 25 °C, to ensure babies remain warm. Thermometers were installed to ensure compliance and monitoring. In addition, UNICEF provided inflatable mattresses that can be heated.

Mothers are encouraged to take micronutrient pills to combat iron deficiency anaemia. When a mother is anaemic, she might feel tired during pregnancy and will be very vulnerable if she loses a lot of blood during the delivery. Her children will also feel tired and not perform well at school later.

Since 2014, UNICEF has provided two types of trainings to mothers: One to prepare women for delivery, and one to teach them how to take care of their babies at home. First, one of the most important parts of preparing women for delivery is teaching them about breastfeeding, which is initiated immediately after birth. Mothers learn about the benefits of colostrum – the breastmilk that is produced in the first two days after giving birth. It comes in very small quantities – droplets – and is packed with essential nutrients. If a mother doesn’t know she will only produce very little milk in the beginning, she might start feeding her baby with powdered milk to prevent it from going hungry. Second, expectant mothers learn how to keep their baby warm at home, bathe it, take care of its skin and umbilicus, and spot signs of jaundice and other dangerous infections. Nutrition, during pregnancy and lactation, is another important element of home-care training. While a traditional Mongolian diet includes lots of meat and cookies, it is healthier to eat vegetables and soups. Training include recipes and cooking classes to improve mothers’ intake of vitamins.

Since 2014, UNICEF has been working with public health officials to develop solutions to address these challenges. Thanks to the solutions put in place by UNICEF – most notably the training of medical personnel in Early Essential Newborn Care in 2014 – newborn mortality rates have decreased. The number of babies who needed intensive care declined from 230 in 2015 to 139 in 2017 on an average of 2,000 births per year. (In 2007, the government recommended that at-risk herder women be transferred to ‘maternity waiting houses’ at provincial health facilities to avoid complications. This policy also significantly reduced newborn deaths. UNICEF provided furniture, cooking appliances and newborn care materials to the maternity waiting houses.) UNICEF is advocating with the Government of Mongolia to pass a national law that would allocate a budget for essential package of maternal and child health care across the country. There is currently no fixed budget for essential health care package.

#EveryChildALIVE: Saruulgerel from Murun, Khuvsgul province, Mongolia

May 10, 2018, 2:25 am

≫ Next: #EveryChildALIVE: Ochir from Murun, Khuvsgul province, Mongolia

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Baby Saruulgerel G. from Khuvsgul province, Mongolia © UNICEF/UN0188818

Baby Saruulgerel from Mongolia was delivered by a skilled midwife. Her mother almost suffered a miscarriage, but thanks to the care and advice of a midwife, she went home and rested. The bleeding stopped, and when the time came, the delivery went well. Her mother, Dashnyam Ganbaatar, 23 and the father, Ganchuluun Baatarchuluu, 29 are unemployed and live in Murun city. They have two children.

Dashnyam Ganbaatar says:

“At one point during my pregnancy I started bleeding, so I came in for an examination. The midwife comforted me, gave me medication, and told me about the possible causes of miscarriages. She advised me to rest. So, I went home, rested, and, thankfully, the bleeding stopped. When my time came to give birth, the midwife supported me so well: I was in pain, but she comforted me and taught me how to breathe correctly. After my daughter was born, she quickly started to drink my milk. When I held her against my chest, I felt like a mother. It was so nice to be together. I wish that my daughter will become a doctor. I was so happy because she is my second daughter. She reminds me of my mother.”In Mongolia, newborn mortality rates have decreased from 10.2 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2014 to 8.7 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2017. In Khövsgöl, Mongolia’s northernmost province, newborn mortality rates have decreased significantly, from 15.4 deaths in 2014 per 1,000 live births to 13 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2017. Despite these advances, challenges remain: malnutrition, long travel distances to maternal health clinics, and insufficient government support to buy essentials (such as medication, micronutrients, newborn hats, masks, staff trainings and education materials) continue to imperil lives.

Mother, Dashnyam Ganbaatar, 23 and the baby at a local hospital. © UNICEF/UN0188821

Birth is a natural process. In recent decades, however, too many rules have started to interfere with the natural way of giving birth. After years of study, experts identified four key life-saving interventions to support a newborn’s survival. First, nurses should wipe and dry the baby right after birth by wrapping the wet baby in two pieces of cloth. (If it remains wet, the baby will cool off. The drying and wiping motions will also support the first few breaths of the newborn.) Second, skin-to-skin contact between the mother and the baby is vital to keep the baby warm. Other benefits, such as the transfer of bacteria that stimulate growth, also occur. Third, the umbilical cord should only be cut after its pulsation movements stop, and all its blood is transferred to the baby. Fourth, breastfeeding should be initiated in the delivery room, right after birth. This should last at least two hours.

When a baby is born, its body temperature is higher than that of adults, about 37.5 °C. This ensures a newborn remains warm and healthy after the shock of birth. In Mongolia, where winter temperatures can drop to -30 °C, temperatures in some delivery rooms were as low as 11°C, causing newborns to die from problems caused by hypothermia. In 2010, the government, spurred by UNICEF, mandated that all delivery rooms be heated to 25 °C, to ensure babies remain warm. Thermometers were installed to ensure compliance and monitoring. In addition, UNICEF provided inflatable mattresses that can be heated.

Mothers are encouraged to take micronutrient pills to combat iron deficiency anaemia. When a mother is anaemic, she might feel tired during pregnancy and will be very vulnerable if she loses a lot of blood during the delivery. Her children will also feel tired and not perform well at school later.

Since 2014, UNICEF has provided two types of trainings to mothers: One to prepare women for delivery, and one to teach them how to take care of their babies at home. First, one of the most important parts of preparing women for delivery is teaching them about breastfeeding, which is initiated immediately after birth. Mothers learn about the benefits of colostrum – the breastmilk that is produced in the first two days after giving birth. It comes in very small quantities – droplets – and is packed with essential nutrients. If a mother doesn’t know she will only produce very little milk in the beginning, she might start feeding her baby with powdered milk to prevent it from going hungry. Second, expectant mothers learn how to keep their baby warm at home, bathe it, take care of its skin and umbilicus, and spot signs of jaundice and other dangerous infections. Nutrition, during pregnancy and lactation, is another important element of home-care training. While a traditional Mongolian diet includes lots of meat and cookies, it is healthier to eat vegetables and soups. Training include recipes and cooking classes to improve mothers’ intake of vitamins.

Since 2014, UNICEF has been working with public health officials to develop solutions to address these challenges. Thanks to the solutions put in place by UNICEF – most notably the training of medical personnel in Early Essential Newborn Care in 2014 – newborn mortality rates have decreased. The number of babies who needed intensive care declined from 230 in 2015 to 139 in 2017 on an average of 2,000 births per year. (In 2007, the government recommended that at-risk herder women be transferred to ‘maternity waiting houses’ at provincial health facilities to avoid complications. This policy also significantly reduced newborn deaths. UNICEF provided furniture, cooking appliances and newborn care materials to the maternity waiting houses.) UNICEF is advocating with the Government of Mongolia to pass a national law that would allocate a budget for essential package of maternal and child health care across the country. There is currently no fixed budget for essential health care package.

#EveryChildALIVE: Ochir from Murun, Khuvsgul province, Mongolia

May 10, 2018, 2:57 am

≫ Next: No more mold on walls: New bathrooms for kindergartens No. 122

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2-day-old Ochir from Khuvsgul province, Mongolia. © UNICEF/UN0188803

Ochir, boy, weight 3.8 kg; 2 days old; born on 26 February 2018. Baby Ochir from Mongolia was born healthy. Thanks to the training his mother received, he was breastfed and kept warm after his birth with a blanket around his feet and a hat on his head (all babies in Mongolia must wear hats and are wrapped in a special way when outside). His mother, Zolzaya Baasanjav, 18, is a student. His father is Tserentogtokh and he is 18 years old. Both live in Murun City. Ochir is their first child.

Zolzaya Baasanjav says:

“I had oedema in my feet and legs. Sometimes I had high blood pressure. My mother and my family advised me to go to a health centre. I had to come in early to prevent complications.

I felt very happy after he was born, and I wanted to kiss him. He was very warm and hot to the touch. I just wanted to look at him and couldn’t stop staring at him. Every Friday, they had a training for mothers. We learned how to take care of the baby and how to prepare for delivery. My favourite lesson was how to correctly hold the baby during breastfeeding. I knew how important it was because I learned about colostrum, and so I wanted to support the baby to initiate breastfeeding. After he was put on my chest, after the shock of giving birth, I remembered my training. It wasn’t so comfortable the first time I fed him, but now it is going well. I am confident he is feeding. The training was very helpful. During the training, I learned that newborns should always be kept warm. I first put a warm towel on his feet, then I put a hat on his head, and then I wrap him. I have a favourite blanket which I keep at home – it’s yellow, and looks very special.”In Mongolia, newborn mortality rates have decreased from 10.2 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2014 to 8.7 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2017. In Khövsgöl, Mongolia’s northernmost province, newborn mortality rates have decreased significantly, from 15.4 deaths in 2014 per 1,000 live births to 13 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2017. Despite these advances, challenges remain: malnutrition, long travel distances to maternal health clinics, and insufficient government support to buy essentials (such as medication, micronutrients, newborn hats, masks, staff trainings and education materials) continue to imperil lives.

Mother Zolzaya and 2-day-old Ochir at a local hospital. © UNICEF/UN0188805

Birth is a natural process. In recent decades, however, too many rules have started to interfere with the natural way of giving birth. After years of study, experts identified four key life-saving interventions to support a newborn’s survival. First, nurses should wipe and dry the baby right after birth by wrapping the wet baby in two pieces of cloth. (If it remains wet, the baby will cool off. The drying and wiping motions will also support the first few breaths of the newborn.) Second, skin-to-skin contact between the mother and the baby is vital to keep the baby warm. Other benefits, such as the transfer of bacteria that stimulate growth, also occur. Third, the umbilical cord should only be cut after its pulsation movements stop, and all its blood is transferred to the baby. Fourth, breastfeeding should be initiated in the delivery room, right after birth. This should last at least two hours.

When a baby is born, its body temperature is higher than that of adults, about 37.5 °C. This ensures a newborn remains warm and healthy after the shock of birth. In Mongolia, where winter temperatures can drop to -30 °C, temperatures in some delivery rooms were as low as 11°C, causing newborns to die from problems caused by hypothermia. In 2010, the government, spurred by UNICEF, mandated that all delivery rooms be heated to 25 °C, to ensure babies remain warm. Thermometers were installed to ensure compliance and monitoring. In addition, UNICEF provided inflatable mattresses that can be heated.

Mothers are encouraged to take micronutrient pills to combat iron deficiency anaemia. When a mother is anaemic, she might feel tired during pregnancy and will be very vulnerable if she loses a lot of blood during the delivery. Her children will also feel tired and not perform well at school later.

2-day-old Ochir from Khuvsgul province, Mongolia. © UNICEF/UN0188806

Since 2014, UNICEF has provided two types of trainings to mothers: One to prepare women for delivery, and one to teach them how to take care of their babies at home. First, one of the most important parts of preparing women for delivery is teaching them about breastfeeding, which is initiated immediately after birth. Mothers learn about the benefits of colostrum – the breastmilk that is produced in the first two days after giving birth. It comes in very small quantities – droplets – and is packed with essential nutrients. If a mother doesn’t know she will only produce very little milk in the beginning, she might start feeding her baby with powdered milk to prevent it from going hungry. Second, expectant mothers learn how to keep their baby warm at home, bathe it, take care of its skin and umbilicus, and spot signs of jaundice and other dangerous infections. Nutrition, during pregnancy and lactation, is another important element of home-care training. While a traditional Mongolian diet includes lots of meat and cookies, it is healthier to eat vegetables and soups. Training include recipes and cooking classes to improve mothers’ intake of vitamins.

Since 2014, UNICEF has been working with public health officials to develop solutions to address these challenges. Thanks to the solutions put in place by UNICEF – most notably the training of medical personnel in Early Essential Newborn Care in 2014 – newborn mortality rates have decreased. The number of babies who needed intensive care declined from 230 in 2015 to 139 in 2017 on an average of 2,000 births per year. (In 2007, the government recommended that at-risk herder women be transferred to ‘maternity waiting houses’ at provincial health facilities to avoid complications. This policy also significantly reduced newborn deaths. UNICEF provided furniture, cooking appliances and newborn care materials to the maternity waiting houses.) UNICEF is advocating with the Government of Mongolia to pass a national law that would allocate a budget for essential package of maternal and child health care across the country. There is currently no fixed budget for essential health care package.

No more mold on walls: New bathrooms for kindergartens No. 122

June 18, 2018, 11:00 pm

≫ Next: Young advisers to the UN Mongolia: Youth engagement is vital for prosperity of the country

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The new sinks at kindergarten No. 122 are more accessible for children. ©UNICEFMongolia/2018/Mungunkhishig Batbaatar

The brand-new toilets in kindergarten No. 122 in Bayanzurkh district of Ulaanbaatar city are sparkling clean. The bathrooms look bigger now and the sinks are more accessible for children. With over 880 pupils, the kindergarten’s bathroom facilities were in desperate need of renovations.

As part of its Early Childhood Development Programme, UNICEF Mongolia provided support to the kindergarten and renovated each of its 14 bathrooms. They were outdated and not meeting the standard of kindergarten environment approved in 2015. The old toilets were replaced with more sanitary ones and the number of washbasins increased. In a big kindergarten like this, every improvement counts.

“The kindergarten building was built in 1989 and there was no rehabilitation ever since. Now the situation has improved dramatically. The hygiene is better and the bathrooms are more comfortable to use,” says kindergarten’s doctor Odgerel Surenjav.

When the renovation work started and workers peeled off the walls and ceilings, they found a layer of mold beneath them. Quite surprisingly, the discovery made doctor Odgerel happy. “There was a funny smell in bathrooms back then and we didn’t know where it was coming from,” she says, adding that the mold could have been affecting children’s health. “I believe that now we found and got rid of it, our children will have less respiratory problems, resulting in higher attendance rate,” hopes Odgerel.

The old bathrooms were size inappropriate and unsanitary. ©UNICEFMongolia/2018/Sabina Netrvalova

Accessible bathrooms 

The renovation took couple of weeks, during which everybody got involved – even parents were helping to clean dust. For the walls, the kindergarten purchased a high-quality paint, which did not smell bad and was safer for children. 

The result pleased everybody. “I like that the bathrooms are now more accessible,” says Delgerjargal, a teacher in one of the classrooms. Since there are around 70 children in each classroom, she appreciates how efficient the new bathrooms are. “Before there were only four sinks, which were unnecessary big. Now there are six sinks in every bathroom, which means more children can wash their hands at the same time. That is very helpful for us,” adds Delgerjargal, smiling. 

The brand-new toilets are sparkling clean and the bathrooms look bigger. ©UNICEFMongolia/2018/Sabina Netrvalova

Parents are happy about the renovation too. “They were very impressed with the cleanliness. They also think that the bathrooms are more spacious now because we knocked down some walls,” explains doctor Odgerel.

“It looks like a completely new room,” agrees Duurenchimeg N., mother of 5-year-old Tselmuun, while looking inside one of the bathrooms. “The parents were actually planning to repair the bathrooms themselves, but it never happened. We are very grateful. The bathrooms are size appropriate, easy to use and much safer,” she adds, visibly happy. 

Healthy learning environment

UNICEF’s Early Childhood Development Programme supports improved access to quality early learning opportunities for preschool children. Early age is the most critical period in human life, when the brain develops most rapidly and has a high capacity for change. For a proper development of children, access to nutritious food, high-quality health care, and good sanitation and hygiene is absolutely necessary. 

Five years old Tselmuun with her mother Duurenchimeg.  ©UNICEFMongolia/2018/Mungunkhishig Batbaatar

Poor sanitation, water and hygiene, on the other hand, can have many serious repercussions. They have an impact on children’s health, their ability to go to kindergarten or school and to concentrate on learning. Investments in early childhood development can therefore lead to better education of children, and eventually, even higher individual earnings. 

“Early childhood development is the key to a full and productive life. It is one of the most cost efficient investments in human capital, which will have a significant impact on Mongolia’s future development. A child brain is built, not born,” says UNICEF Mongolia’s Early Childhood Development Officer Ulziisaikhan Sereeter. 

“If we want to ensure that children can grow, develop and reach their full potential, we must provide them with good water and sanitation,” she adds.  

UNICEF Mongolia’s goal is to ensure that education authorities in targeted areas have increased capacity to implement national norms and requirements for water in kindergartens, schools and dormitories. UNICEF is also supporting parents and teachers in improving their understanding of early childhood development and how good sanitation and nutrition are an important part of it. 

At kindergarten No. 122, the teachers already know the good hygiene practices and they are now trying to disseminate them further. As doctor Odgerel explains, the kindergarten developed a systematic approach when it comes to teaching children how to wash their hands properly. “Of course, it depends on their age. When they are only two years old, we are just trying to ensure that they remember they must always wash their hands. When they get older, we teach them how to do it right. By the time they graduate, we want every child to know when and how to wash their hands properly,” says doctor Odgerel. 

The kindergarten also teaches the parents. “We want them to understand how important good hygiene is. We have hung educational posters all over the building so the parents have all the information they might need,” she concludes. 

Written by

Sabina Netrvalová

UNV in Communications

UNICEF Mongolia

Young advisers to the UN Mongolia: Youth engagement is vital for prosperity of the country

June 26, 2018, 7:30 pm

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UNYAP members Erdenedalai Odonkhuu, Khaliunaa Naranbayar and Zolboo Dashmyagmar (L-R) in front of UN House in Ulaanbaatar. ©UNICEFMongolia/2018/Sabina Netrvalova

Addressing the needs of young people in Mongolia, promoting the UN Sustainable Development Goals, and advising different UN agencies from the youth perspective. These are just some of the activities of UN Youth Advisory Panel (UNYAP) in Mongolia. How can one become a part of UNYAP? And what are their plans for the coming months? We talked about it with UNYAP members Zolboo Dashmyagmar, Khaliunaa Naranbayar and Erdenedalai Odonkhuu. 

What is the role of UNYAP in Mongolia and what are you trying to achieve?

Zolboo: The role of UNYAP is to support the UN agencies on youth related projects and share information about these projects with young people of Mongolia. The members work on voluntary basis, but we are gaining experience very much needed in our personal lives and job market.

Khaliunaa: Mongolia is a country with relatively young population. We see that young people’s engagement is needed for sustainable development and prosperity of Mongolia. Our main goal is to let young people be engaged, let them be empowered, come up with concrete solutions and make better not only Mongolia, but the whole world.

When was UNYAP founded?

Z: UNYAP first started in 2006, but back then it was initiated by United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). The formal beginning under the UN Youth Working Group was in 2008, so this year is our 10-years anniversary.

How many members do you have?

Z: We have fifteen members aged 15 to 24. Each one of us has a different background, thus we represent different groups of young people. It is nice to give the perspective of high school students, university students and young working professionals to the UN projects.

Does every member represent a different organization?

Erdenedalai: Yes. For example, I represent Mongolian Students and Youth Federation in the World, Khaliunaa represents PACE 48, an international youth organization in Asia-Pacific countries.

Z: Some of our members are from DemoCrazy NGO, Princess center… All organizations aim for different sustainable goals and causes.

Can you mention some of the projects you have been working on or you are planning to?

Z: During my time at UNYAP, we have been engaging with the “Orange Sessions” event* to bring younger voices for the message of ending violence against women and girls. The last thing we have done was the “Let’s discuss at the UN” event, whose aim is to inform young people of Mongolia about the emerging issues. This event was organized together with UNICEF and its topic was air pollution. Our main goal was to offer various thoughts and opinions on the topic and listen to the participants as well.

Another thing we do is “Book Corner”. We collect reports and books from all the UN agencies and put them in corners of five places, including National Library of Ulaanbaatar and three university libraries. Young people can read all reports which the UN is producing, and use them for research purposes. We also used to do “Movie Talk” event, when we talked about a movie we just watched and discussed what it has taught us, but it has been transferred to different organization.

K: Another annually organized event is “Model UNESCO” conference, in cooperation with UNESCO Beijing office and Mongolian National Commission for UNESCO. We have organized it already three times and it has become a highly-anticipated youth event in Mongolia.

UNYAP Coordinator Zolboo Dashmyagmar during the Let’s discuss at the UN event. ©UNICEFMongolia/2018/UNYAP

Can you tell us more about it?

K: Model UNESCO is a one day conference for young people aged 15 to 24. Most participants are university level students. The main aim of the conference is to raise awareness of UNESCO’s objectives and mandate. The young people represent the roles of UNESCO member states and they come together to discuss the problems the world is facing. For example, last year we had three committees – culture, education and humanities – and we were dealing with topics of gender equality, cultural heritage or youth employment. In the end of the conference, the participants pass a declaration and the best delegates are chosen to attend some conferences at international level.

The number of applications is increasing every year, as well as young people’s engagement and social media traction. Last year we received over 800 applications for only 100 spots. There are some plans to organize the conference on international level, but for now they’re just under discussion.

Every UNYAP member stays for two to three years. How does the application process work?

K: First we have an online call with the applicant. After the screening, we invite selected people for case challenge study at UN House, where they form teams and work on various types of issues, which young people are facing. The third and final round is an interview with UNYAP members and potentially also UN representatives from various agencies. To be selected, the applicant must be a representative of a youth organization willing to be a voice of young people, and to be 15 to 24 years of age. 

Z: People are often really concerned about why they must be between 15 and 24. It’s because this is the age which the UN recognize as youth.

How interested are young Mongolians in the UNYAP activities, beside the Model UNESCO conference?

K: One of our objectives is to raise awareness of Sustainable Development Goals among young people across the country. Our events and activities are in line with that objective and we see that each year more and more people are becoming involved and more interested in volunteering activities, and they want to hear and learn more about sustainable development and how they can personally contribute. Young people are very engaged in all the activities we do and they are also becoming more interested in becoming the UNYAP members.

Do you also cooperate with UNYAPs from different countries?

K: There are about fifteen UNYAPs across the world and also the UNYAP Association, of which we are planning to become a member. Some of our members are being invited to attend international conferences, where they represent Mongolian young people’s voice, our activities and talk about the issues, which the young people of Mongolia are facing.

*Orange Sessions Event is a UNFPA’s youth-centered event that features local musicians who volunteer to use music to bring together young people, raise awareness for the problem of gender-based violence and make a commitment to help eliminate it.

UNYAP Mongolia has 15 members aged 15 to 24. ©UNICEFMongolia/2018/Sabina Netrvalova

Profiles: 

Zolboo Dashmyagmar started her journey with UNYAP in April 2015 as a representative of Forever Young Crew, a singing group covering popular songs. In October 2017, she became the UNYAP Coordinator.

Khaliunaa Naranbayar is the Secretary General of UNYAP in Mongolia. She works at Unread, Mongolian media startup company.

Erdenedalai Odonkhuu joined UNYAP in 2017. He represents Mongolian Students and Youth Federation in the World and studies law at National University of Mongolia.

Written by 

Sabina Netrvalová

UNV in Communications

UNICEF Mongolia

Public health expert: Air pollution is highly increasing risk of respiratory infections in Mongolian children

July 30, 2018, 11:00 pm

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Public health expert Misbath Daouda working on her research in Ulaanbaatar. ©UNICEFMongolia/2018/Sabina Netrvalova

Air pollution is a serious problem in the Mongolian capital, says researcher Misbath Daouda, who came to Ulaanbaatar to find out how air pollution is affecting children’s health. In the interview, she also talks about the impacts of polluted air on infants’ brains, and gives recommendations on how parents should protect their children.  

What brought you to Mongolia?

I am completing the practicum part of my Master's in Public Health programme at Harvard University and for this I am doing an internship with UNICEF Mongolia. I am focusing on the impact of air pollution on children’s health and my goal is to collect the data, analyze it and interpret it so as to have the first comprehensive study of how air pollution has been potentially increasing the risk of respiratory illnesses in children. 

Why did you choose Mongolia?

I chose Mongolia because Ulaanbaatar is the second most polluted city in the world, and UNICEF had already started engaging and combating the effects of air pollution through various avenues. I felt that this study could provide evidence-based recommendations that could fit well into what UNICEF was already doing. Plus, the recent findings that we have about air pollution and health outcomes made the need for solutions even more urgent, I wanted to contribute to this effort.

Could you specify these findings? How is air pollution affecting children’s health?

Air pollution has been consistently associated with adverse respiratory and cardiovascular outcomes. More recently, other health impacts have been identified. For instance, there is a component of air pollution called particulate matter, or PM, that is small enough to not only enter the bloodstream but also to cross the blood-brain barrier. When it does so, it can affect neurodevelopmental outcomes. Some of the recent studies show that children, who have lived in environment where air pollution levels are really high, have for example reduced IQ or reduced language abilities.

"Some children, who have lived in environment where air pollution levels are really high, have reduced IQ or reduced language abilities."

During winter, Ulaanbaatar is one the most polluted cities in the world. ©UNICEFMongolia/2018/TamirBayarsaikhan

Can you tell us more about your research? When did you come to Mongolia for the first time?

I first came here in January for two weeks and the goal of that visit was to reach out to different academic and governmental institutions that have been monitoring the data I needed. I mostly worked with the Ulaanbaatar Health Department (UBDH) to collect both respiratory and birth outcomes over the past couple years. I was also able to connect with the Ulaanbaatar Air Pollution Reduction Department (APRD) which has different monitoring stations in Ulaanbaatar and has been recording the levels of the most common air pollutants on a daily, and sometimes also hourly basis. Then I visited a couple of the district hospitals to collect some additional data.

  

Could you share some of your discoveries?

The analysis is still in its preliminary stages. However, when looking at PM 2.5 trends in 2015-2017 for instance, we can see that the city levels exceeds the World Health Organization (WHO) annual guideline more than 90 percent of the year. This has alarming implications for children’s health. We estimated the risk ratio for acute lower respiratory infections (ALRI) among infants to be approximately 2.4 in wintertime in Ulaanbaatar compared to a counterfactual scenario where the PM 2.5 levels would be close to the annual WHO guideline. This is very high because it means that infants in Ulaanbaatar have more than twice the risk of getting an ALRI compared to infants in that scenario.

When you came to Ulaanbaatar in January, did the level of air pollution surprise you?

I had a pretty good idea of how bad it is and the data I gathered reflects it. I knew that the levels were usually much higher than what WHO recommends. However, it is one thing to read about it in articles and another to experience how difficult it is to simply breathe in these conditions.

Misbath and her colleague Jargalsaikhan sharing their findings with community health workers in Bayanzurkh district, Ulaanbaatar. ©UNICEFMongolia/2018/Sabina Netrvalova

What would you like to achieve with your study?

The most important goal for me is the translation of the data into something that is tangible not only for health workers but also to laypersons, so they know what the air pollution level here is compared to other places, and how much it increases the risk of contracting any respiratory diseases. With the study, I’m also hoping to build up momentum to convince the key stakeholders that something has to be done immediately. Now that we have the data, we can quantify how bad air pollution is in Mongolia and how it is affecting Mongolian children. It will take a long time to implement measures such as coal stoves replacement so we have to minimize the pollution exposure in the meantime. I think that the study can contribute to that.

So far, I was only able to share my recommendations with the community health workers in Bayanzurkh district, and I would like to see them disseminated to all districts. I would like a module of air pollution prevention to be integrated into the training of community health workers and medical doctors. Air pollution seems to be a relatively new issue in Ulaanbaatar so it would be good to have it integrated in the future curriculum for medical doctors. I feel like once the health implications are taken up by doctors, then we will probably have larger scale change in the perception of air pollution because doctors are such respected and trusted members of the society.  

Can you mention some of your recommendations?

The recommendations focus on what parents can do to minimize their child’s exposure to air pollution. They are mostly based on the BreatheLife campaign (a global campaign led by WHO, UN Environment and the Climate & Clean Air Coalition mobilizing cities and people to bring air pollution to safe levels by 2030), and attempt to create lasting behavioral change among families. For instance, they include checking the city’s air quality website (ub-air.info) frequently and changing plans accordingly to avoid spending too much time outside or exercising when levels are unhealthy. 

Another recommendation is to avoid exposure to diesel exhaust from cars by staying away from high traffic roads. Especially when pushing a baby in a stroller, it is recommended to walk on the building side of a pavement versus the roadside. Also, as Mongolians spend a lot of time indoors during wintertime, it is crucial that families get the cleanest burning stoves available to preserve indoor air quality.

"My recommendation is to check city’s air quality website frequently and change plans accordingly to avoid spending too much time outside when levels are unhealthy." 

What challenges did you encounter while doing your research?

One of the challenges was definitely understanding the data itself because of the lack of consistency and rigor in the way it was monitored. Sometimes the data were not computerized so it was difficult for me to access them, other times I realized that the data was missing completely or that there were errors in the records. Also, some of the monitoring stations were not working for extended periods so that restricted the analysis to the stations that did not have as much missing values.

What about some positive surprises?

In the data itself, I wouldn’t say there were any positive surprises. However, what was very enriching and motivating for me was giving the training to the community health workers on air pollution. I think this is where the data can have the most impact; if it is shown to the health workers who can realize how detrimental of an issue air pollution is and share it with parents. When I was leading the training, all the community health workers were interested, engaging with the topic and brainstorming potential solutions. This definitely was very motivating for me.

Misbath Daouda working with Jargalsaikhan Galsuren from Mongolian National University of Medical Science. ©UNICEFMongolia/2018/Sabina Netrvalova

You have been working with local researchers and organizations. How was this experience?

I think one of the most amazing aspects of my project is how much support I got from everyone at UNICEF Mongolia. They were not only helping me to acquire the data but also providing guidance, recommendations and suggestions. I never felt like any idea I brought to the table was pushed to the side and that has been amazing. I was also able to work with Jargalsaikhan Galsuren from Mongolian National University of Medical Science, who was initially only supposed to do the translation when I was meeting with different stakeholders, but eventually really contributed to the study. The questions I had while interpreting the data were mostly answered by him, he gave a lot of insight and helped shape the analysis. I was able to learn a lot thanks to working with UNICEF and Jargalsaikhan. 

Misbath Daouda is a Master of Public Health candidate at Harvard University, and is focusing on environmental health studies. She will be graduating in December and her goal is to continue with the PhD in children’s environmental health in the context of climate change. She is interested in developing countries or low-resource communities and wants to understand how environmental factors prevent children from these communities to reach their full potential.

Written by 

Sabina Netrvalová

UNV in Communications

UNICEF Mongolia

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Эхийн сүү - Эрүүл амьдралын эхлэл

August 1, 2018, 10:39 pm

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Ээж Б.Золзаяа хүү Очирын хамт. Хөвсгөл аймгийн Мөрөн сум. ©UNICEF/UN0188805

Очир хүү 2018 оны 2-р сарын 26-ны өдөр 3,8 кг жинтэй эрүүл саруул мэндлэв. Хүүгийн ээж, аав хоёр хоёулаа 18 настай залуу хос. Мөрөн хотод амьдардаг энэ залуухан гэр бүл анхны хүүхдээ өлгийдөн авсан нь энэ. 

Очир хүүгийн ээж Б.Золзаяа ярихдаа түүний даралт ихсэж, хөл гар нь их хавагнадаг байсан тул гэр бүлийнхэн нь эмнэлэгт үзүүлэхийг зөвлөсөн гэжээ. Тэрээр төрөхийн элдэв хүндрэлээс сэргийлэх үүднээс эмчийн хяналтад эрт орсон гэнэ. 

“Хүүхдээ төрүүлснийхээ дараа байн байн хүүгээ үнсмээр санагдаад би их аз жаргалтай байгаа. Түүнийг зүгээр л хараад баймаар, тэврэхээр халуун дулаан мэдрэмж төрдөг. Би Баасан гариг болгон эхчүүдэд зориулсан сургалтад суудаг байсан. Тэр сургалтаас би хэрхэн төрөлтөд бэлтгэх, төрсний дараа хүүхдээ хэрхэн асрах талаар мэдлэгтэй болсон. Миний хамгийн дуртай хичээл бол хүүхдээ яаж зөв тэврэн, хөхүүлэх тухай байсан. Хичээл дээр ангир уургийн талаар орсон болохоор, би төрөнгүүтээ хүүхдээ амлуулсан. Төрөлтийн шок өнгөрөөд, цээжин дээр хүүг минь тавихад хичээл дээр сурсан зүйлсээ нэг нэгээр нь санаж эхэлсэн. Анх хөхүүлэхэд эвгүй мэдрэмж төрсөн л дөө, гэхдээ одоо гайгүй дассан.  Нярай хүүхдийг байнга дулаан байлгах ёстой гэдгийг би хичээлээс мэдэж авсан. Эхлээд хөлийг нь даавуугаар хучиж, малгайг нь өмсгөөд дараа нь өлгийдөх хэрэгтэй. Надад шар өнгийн өлгий бий. Миний хамгийн дуртай өлгий”.

2014 оны байдлаар улсын хэмжээнд нярайн эндэгдэл 1000 төрөлт тутамд 10,2% байсан бол 2017 оны байдлаар 8,7% болон буурсан дүнтэй байна. Харин Хөвсгөл аймгийн хувьд нярайн эндэгдэл 2014 онд 1000 амьд төрөлт тутамд  15,4% байснааc, 2017 онд 13% болж буурсан байна. Ийнхүү ахиц гарсан хэдий ч, хоол тэжээлийн дутал, эрүүл мэндийн үйлчилгээний хүрэлцээ дутмаг, төрөөс боловсролын материал, мэргэжлийн сургалт, зайлшгүй хэрэгцээт маск, нярайн малгай, тэжээл зэрэгт хангалттай төсвийн дэмжлэг үзүүлдэггүй тул хүүхдийн эрүүл мэнд, амь нас эрсдэлд орсон хэвээр байна. 

Очир хүү. Хөвсгөл аймгийн Мөрөн сум. ©UNICEF/UN0188803

Төрөлт бол байгалийн жамаар явагддаг үйл явц. Олон жилийн судалгааны үр дүнд нярайн амьдрах чадварыг дэмжих үндсэн дөрвөн аргыг тодорхойлсон байна. Эхлээд нярайг төрсөн даруй сувилагч нь алчуурт өлгийдөн, хүүхдийг арчиж, хатаана.

Хэрэв хаттал нь сайтар арчихгүй  бол хүүхэд биеийн дулаанаа алдах магадлалтай. Хатаах, арчих хөдөлгөөн нь мөн хүүхдийн амьсгалж эхлэх явцыг дэмжиж өгдөг. 

Хоёрт, эх нь хүүхдээ биедээ наан тэврэх нь хүүхдийг дулаан байлгахад нэн чухал. Мөн энэ үед, өсөлтийг дэмждэг бактерийг дамжуулдаг давуу талтай. 

Гуравт, зөвхөн хүйн судасны лугшилт зогссоны дараа хүйг хавчиж, хайчлах ёстой. 

Дөрөвт, хүүхдийг төрсөн даруй төрөх өрөөнд байхад нь амлуулж, эхийн сүүгээр хооллоно. 

Ээж Б.Золзаяа хүү Очирын хамт. Хөвсгөл аймгийн Мөрөн сум. ©UNICEF/UN0188805

Дөнгөж төрсөн хүүхдийн биеийн дулаан 37,5 градус буюу насанд хүрсэнд хүнийхээс өндөр байдаг. Ингэж биеийн дулаан өндөр байх нь төрөлтийн дараа хүүхдийн эрүүл байх нөхцөлийг хангадаг. Өвөл Монголд агаарын хэм -30 градус хүртэл буурч, зарим төрөх газрын доторх хэм дөнгөж +11 хэм хүрэх тохиолдол бий. 2010 онд НҮБ-ын Хүүхдийн Сангийндэмжлэгтэйгээр Засгийн газраас төрөх өрөөнүүдийг Цельсийн 25 градусын дулаантай болгож, нярай хүүхдүүдийг дааруулахгүй байлгахаар шийдвэрлэсэн. Уг шийдвэрийн хэрэгжилтийг хангах үүднээс төрөх эмнэлгүүдэд дулаан хэмжигч суурилуулсан байдаг. Мөн НҮБ-ын Хүүхдийн Сангаас нярайн халдаг гудас нийлүүлсэн.  

Төмрийн дутал, цус багадалтаас сэргийлэх үүднээс эхчүүдэд нэмэлт эм, бэлдмэл уухыг зөвлөдөг. Цус багадалттай эмэгтэй жирэмсний үедээ маш их ядардаг ба төрөх үед цус алдаж, бүр амиа алдах эрсдэлд ордог. Цус багадалттай эмэгтэйгээс төрсөн хүүхэд сульдаатай, бүр цаашилбал хүүхдийн сурлагын амжилтад ч муугаар нөлөөлөх магадлалтай.

НҮБ-ын Хүүхдийн Саннь 2014 оноос эхлэн  эхчүүдэд зориулсан  сургалт явуулж байна. Үүнд төрөхийн өмнөх бэлтгэл болон төрсний дараах асаргаа гэсэн хоёр төрлийн сургалт явуулж байна. Төрөхийн өмнөх сургалтаар хүүхдийг хэрхэн эхийн сүүгээр хооллох талаар онцгойлон заадаг.  Мөн эхчүүдэд ангир уураг буюу төрснөөс хойш хоёр хоногийн дотор ялгардаг хөхний сүүний ач тусын талаар зааж сургадаг. Ангир уураг нь хэдийгээр маш бага хэмжээгээр буюу дусал дуслаар ялгардаг ч, хүүхдэд нэн шаардлагатай амин дэм агуулдаг юм. Дөнгөж төрсөн эх мэдээлэлгүйн улмаас эхэн үедээ сүү бага ялгардгийг сайн мэдэхгүй, хүүхдээ эхийн сүү орлуулагчаар хооллох хандлага ажиглагддаг. 

Очир хүү. Хөвсгөл аймгийн Мөрөн сум. ©UNICEF/UN0188806

Мөн сургалтын үед нярайн шарлалтын шинж тэмдэг, нярайг хэрхэн усанд оруулах, арьс хүйг нь арчлах талаар мэдлэг олгодог. Түүнчлэн жирэмсний үеийн зөв хооллолт, гэрийн нөхцөлд хэрхэн нярайг асрах тухай сургалтын хөтөлбөрт багтсан. Монголын нөхцөлд мах  махан бүтээгдэхүүн, гурилан бүтээгдэхүүнийг хүнсэндээ ихэвчлэн хэрэглэдэг бол, сургалтад хамрагдсан ээжүүд шинэ ногоо жимсийг хүнсэндээ хэрэглэснээр  эрүүл мэндэд ямар ач тустай болохыг мэдэж авдаг. Мөн тус сургалтын үеэр  амин дэм, шим тэжээлээр баялаг хоол хүнс хэрхэн бэлтгэх талаар заадаг. 

НҮБ-ын Хүүхдийн Сан нийгмийн эрүүл мэндийн мэргэжилтнүүдтэй хамтран эрт нярайн эндэгдлийг бууруулах чиглэлээр 2014 оноос хойш ажиллаж ирсэн. Тус сангаас эрүүл мэндийн эмч, мэргэжилтнүүдийг Нярайн Эрт Үеийн Нэн Шаардлагатай тусламж, үйлчилгээг үзүүлэх сургалтад хамруулж, хэрэгжүүлсэн нь нярайн эндэгдэл буурахад  мэдэгдэхүйц нөлөө үзүүлсэн. Эрчимт эмчилгээ шаардлагатай нярайн тоо 2015 оны байдлаар 2000 төрөлт тутамд  230 байсан бол 2017 онд 139 болон буурсан байна. 

2007 онд Монгол Улсын Засгийн газраас  эрсдэлт бүлэгт хамаарах малчин эмэгтэйчүүдийг аймгийн эрүүл мэндийн төвүүдэд шилжүүлж,  хяналтад оруулж, хүндрэлээс урьдчилан сэргийлэх арга хэмжээ авах санал гаргасан байна. Энэ арга хэмжээний үр дүнд нярайн эндэгдэл мэдэгдэхүйц хэмжээнд буурчээ. НҮБ-ын Хүүхдийн Сангаас амаржих газруудыг  тавилга, гал тогооны тоног төхөөрөмж болон нярайн асаргаанд шаардлагатай зүйлсээр хангасан байна.

НҮБ-ын Хүүхдийн Сангаас эх, хүүхдийн эрүүл мэнд, асаргаанд зарцуулах сан байгуулах хуулийн төсөл дээр  Монгол Улсын Засгийн газартай хамтран ажиллаж байна. Одоогийн байдлаар нэн шаардлагатай эрүүл мэндийн асаргаа, эмчилгээний тусгайлсан төсөв байдаггүй юм байна. 

Chance of a better future with ger kindergartens

August 13, 2018, 7:30 pm

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Minjinsor at the entrance of her ger kindergarten. ©UNICEFMongolia/2018/Sabina Netrvalova

“When I’m at kindergarten, I like to sing and play with Barbie dolls. I also like to play with all my friends,” says 5-year-old Minjinsor. She has a shy smile and short hair, newly cut during the Mongolian traditional hair-cutting ceremony.

Minjinsor is one of 15 children who left their overcrowded classroom in the main building of Kindergarten No. 8 in Ulaanbaatar’s Bayanzurkh district, and moved to a new ger classroom. Built in the typical Mongolian tent-like style, it is more spacious so the children can play more freely, and smaller numbers mean they can also enjoy the full attention of their teachers.

“Children prefer the new classroom because it gives them enough space for play. For teachers it means that we can focus on children more individually and help with their development,” says teacher Ms. Ariuntuul.

More opportunities in the most populous district

Bayanzurkh is the most populous district of the capital, with more than 300,000 inhabitants. Its population is constantly growing, as large numbers of people move to the city in search of better employment opportunities. This rapid and unplanned urbanization has created challenges in delivering basic social services. There are just 36 kindergartens in Bayanzurkh, which are able to provide preschool education to only 72 per cent of local children.

Finding a place in public kindergartens is extremely difficult, and classrooms are overcrowded – more than 200 children attend Kindergarten No. 8 though it has capacity for only 120. As a result, all kindergartens in the district started organizing lotteries to enroll 2-year-olds.

Like many families, Minjinsor’s parents struggled to find a kindergarten place for their daughter, and so had to take turns looking after her at home while working shifts. “It's really difficult to get children into a public kindergarten and the private ones are too expensive,” explains Minjinsor’s mother, Gan-Otgon.

Minjinsor with her parents and older brother Tamir. ©UNICEFMongolia/2018/Sabina Netrvalova

Last year, fortune finally smiled on them. “We had to take shifts and queue for three days outside the kindergarten, but we got a place for our daughter,” says Gan-Otgon, her voice full of relief.

Modern yet traditional

Now Minjinsor attends the ger classroom, which was opened in February this year thanks to the technical and financial support of UNICEF Mongolia and the Korean National Committee for UNICEF.

“The classroom in the main building was too small so I was very happy about the ger classroom – it's much more spacious. Also, it has bigger, more modern bathrooms compared to the old ones,” says Gan-Otgon. Some of the parents were worried that the ger would be too cold in winter, and so were relieved to find that the traditional stove was replaced by central heating.

The bathroom facilities in the ger kindergarten are bigger and more modern than the ones in the main building. ©UNICEFMongolia/2018/Sabina Netrvalova

The ger kindergarten has another important advantage – it brings children closer to Mongolian traditions. “Children learn the proper words for parts of a ger, like roof, walls and so on. When they live in apartments in the city, they hardly know these words,” explains Gan-Otgon.

Early childhood development for better future

The early years are a crucial period in children’s life and can impact their future significantly. Scientific research has shown that the experiences children gain in early life – especially in the first three years – shape their developing brain and affect whether they grow up to be healthy and productive members of society.

UNICEF advocates for an increased focus on early childhood development in national and sub-national policies, with a focus on reaching the most disadvantaged children. Ger kindergartens are one of the cost-effective ways to provide early education to children and support their social, emotional and cognitive development.

Five-year-old Minjinsor is playing with her favorite toys at the ger kindergarten. ©UNICEFMongolia/2018/Sabina Netrvalova

“Investing in early childhood development is a cost-effective way to boost shared prosperity, promote inclusive economic growth, expand equal opportunities, and end extreme poverty. For every $1 spent on early childhood development, the return on investment can be as high as $13,” explains UNICEF Mongolia’s Early Childhood Development Officer Ms. Ulziisaikhan Sereeter.

Gan-Otgon marvels at the changes in her daughter. “Every day, Minjinsor learns something new. She comes home with a new poem or a new song. Recently she learned the names of colours. When she stayed at home, she didn't know these things because we didn't have time to teach her,” she says.

Written by 

Sabina Netrvalová

UNV in Communications

UNICEF Mongolia

Агаарын бохирдлоос хүүхдээ хамгаалахад эцэг эхчүүдийн үүрэг чухал

August 14, 2018, 2:09 am

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Улаанбаатар хотод судалгааны ажил дээрээ ажиллаж буй, нийгмийн эрүүл мэндийн мэргэжилтэн
Мисбат Дауда. ©UNICEFMongolia/2018/Sabina Netrvalova

Судлаач Мисбат Дауда нь агаарын бохирдол хүүхдийн эрүүл мэндэд хэрхэн нөлөөлж байгааг судлахаар Улаанбаатар хотод ажиллаж байна. Тэрээр нийслэлийн агаарын бохирдол ноцтой хэмжээнд хүрсэн гэдгийг хэлж байна. Агаарын бохирдол нярай хүүхдийн тархины хөгжилд хэрхэн сөргөөр нөлөөлдөг, хүүхдээ агаарын бохирдлоос хэрхэн хамгаалах талаар эцэг, эх юу хийж болох тухай судлаач бүсгүйтэй ярилцлаа.

Таны Монголд ирж ажиллах болсон шалтгаан?
Би Харвардын их сургуулийн Нийгмийн эрүүл мэндийн магистрын хөтөлбөрт суралцдаг, удахгүй төгсөнө. Монгол дахь НҮБ-ын Хүүхдийн Санддадлага хийхээр ирсэн. Миний дадлагын ажлын гол зорилго бол хүүхдийн эрүүл мэндэд агаарын бохирдол хэрхэн нөлөөлж байгааг судлах. Энд би тоон мэдээлэл цуглуулаад, түүн дээрээ дүн шинжилгээ хийж, агаарын бохирдлын нөлөөгөөр хүүхдийн дундах амьсгалын замын өвчлөл хэрхэн нэмэгдсэн бэ гэдгийг анх удаа цогцоор нь харах боломжтой болно.

Чухам яагаад Монгол орныг сонгох болов?
Улаанбаатар хот дэлхийн хамгийн бохирдолтой хотуудын хоёр дугаарт жагсдаг. Монголд НҮБ-ын Хүүхдийн Сангаас энэ чиглэлээр багагүй ажлууд хийгээд эхэлсэн учир би ийшээ ирэхээр шийдсэн юм. Миний хийх судалгааны үр дүн дээр тулгуурлан зөвлөмжүүд гарах боломжтой тул НҮБ-ын Хүүхдийн Сангийнодоо хийж байгаа үйл ажиллагаатай их сайн уялдана гэж харсан. Нөгөөтэйгөөр, агаарын бохирдлын хүний эрүүл мэндэд үзүүлэх хор нөлөөг сүүлийн үеийн судалгаанууд баталсаар байгаа учир үүний шийдлийг хурдан олох шаардлага бидэнд тулгараад байна. Энэ үйл хэрэгт өөрийн хувь нэмрээ оруулъя гэж зорьсон юм.

Сүүлийн үеийн судалгааны үр дүнгээс дэлгэрэнгүй танилцуулж болох уу? Агаарын бохирдол нь хүүхдийн эрүүл мэндэд ямар хор уршиг учруулдаг вэ?

Ер нь агаарын бохирдол амьсгалын замын болон зүрх судасны өвчлөлтэй холбоотой гэдгийг байнга нотолж ирсэн. Саяхнаас эрүүл мэндэд учруулдаг бусад хор уршгийг тогтоож эхлээд байна. Тухайлбал, агаарын бохирдол дотор байдаг PM2.5 буюу нарийн ширхэглэгт тоосонцор нь их нарийн ширхэгтэй шууд цусанд нэвтрээд зогсохгүй, хүний тархинд нэвтэрч, мэдрэлийн хөгжилд нь нөлөөлдөг гэдгийг тогтоосон. Түүнчлэн, агаарын бохирдол ихтэй орчинд өссөн хүүхдүүдийн хэл ярианы хөгжил болон сэтгэн бодох чадвар харьцангуй муу байдгийг сүүлийн үеийн судалгаанууд нотлоод байна.

“Агаарын бохирдолтой орчинд өссөн хүүхдүүдийн сэтгэн бодох чадвар болон хэл ярианы хөгжил мууддаг”

Өвлийн цагт Улаанбаатар хот дэлхийн хамгийн бохирдолтой хотуудын нэг болдог. ©UNICEFMongolia/2018/TamirBayarsaikhan

Та өөрийн судалгааны талаар илүү дэлгэрэнгүй ярьж өгнө үү? Та анх Монголд хэзээ ирсэн бэ?

Би өвөл нэг сард хоёр долоо хоногийн хугацаатай ирсэн. Ингэхдээ судалгаанд шаардлагатай тоон мэдээллийг олж авахын тулд төрийн болон судалгааны байгууллагуудтай холбоо тогтоох зорилготой ирсэн. Тэр дундаа Улаанбаатар хотын Эрүүл мэндийн газраас сүүлийн хэдэн жилийн амьсгалын замын өвчлөл болон төрөлтийн мэдээллийг цуглуулсан. Мөн Нийслэлийн агаарын бохирдлыг бууруулах газартай уулзсан. Энэ газраас хотын олон байрлалд агаарын чанарын суурин харуул ашиглан агаарт байгаа түгээмэл бохирдуулах бодисуудыг өдөр өдрөөр нь, заримдаа цагаар нь хэмжиж байдаг. Тэдгээр мэдээллийг авсан. Мөн дүүргийн хэд хэдэн эмнэлгээр орж, нэмэлт мэдээлэл цуглуулсан.

Цуглуулсан мэдээллээсээ та юуг олж мэдэв?

Дүгнэлт гаргахад арай эрт байна. Гэхдээ 2015-2017 оны тоог харвал нарийн ширхэгт тоосонцор PM 2.5-ын хэмжээ Дэлхийн Эрүүл Мэндийн Байгууллагын (ДЭМБ) зөвлөдөг стандарт хэмжээнээс жилийн бараг 90%-д нь давсан үзүүлэлттэй гарч байгааг харж болохоор байна. Энэ нь хүүхдийн эрүүл мэндэд асар муу нөлөөтэй. Бид нярай хүүхдийн амьсгалын доод замын хурц үрэвслээр өвчлөх магадлалыг агаарын бохирдол ДЭМБ-ын стандарт хэмжээнд ойртсон үед болон одоогийн Улаанбаатар хотын агаарын бохирдолтой үед ямар байхыг харьцуулж тооцоолж үзсэн. Ингэхэд Улаанбаатар хотод өвлийн цагт нярай хүүхэд амьсгалын доод замын хурц үрэвслээр өвчлөх эрсдэл нь хоёр дахин өндөр байгааг тогтоосон.

Та анх нэг сард Улаанбаатарт ирэхдээ агаарын бохирдлыг өөрийн нүдээр хараад их гайхсан уу?

Ирэхээсээ өмнө мэдээлэл авсан байсан болохоор нөхцөл байдал нэлээд муу гэдгийг мэдэж байсан. Миний цуглуулсан тоо баримт ч үүнийг нотолсон. Гэхдээ ДЭМБ-ын тогтоосон хэмжээнээс хамаагүй өндөр гэдгийг уншиж мэдэх нэг хэрэг, яг өөрөө ирээд амьсгалахад ч хэцүү байгааг мэдрэх огт өөр юм билээ.

Мисбат, Жаргалсайхан нар Баянзүрх дүүргийн хорооны эрүүл мэндийн ажилтнуудад судалгааны үр дүнгээ танилцуулж байна. ©UNICEFMongolia/2018/Sabina Netrvalova 

Судалгааны ажлаас ямар үр дүн хүлээж байгаа вэ?

Эцсийн зорилго гэвэл энэхүү олж авсан мэдээлэл, баримт нотолгоог зөвхөн эрүүл мэндийн мэргэжилтнүүдэд төдийгүй олон нийтэд энгийн, хүртээмжтэй хэлбэрээр ойлгуулах явдал юм. Иргэд энэ мэдээллээр дамжуулан агаарын бохирдлын хэмжээ бусад газруудтай харьцуулахад ямар байна, энэ нь амьсгалын замын өвчлөлийн эрсдэлийг хэрхэн нэмэгдүүлдэг зэргийг мэдэж авах нь их чухал. Мөн энэхүү судалгааны үр дүнгээр дамжуулан шийдвэр гаргагчдад нэн яаралтай арга хэмжээ авах хэрэгтэй гэсэн дохиог өгмөөр байна. Судалгааны тоон үр дүн агаарын бохирдол Монгол хүүхдүүдийн эрүүл мэндэд ямархуу хэмжээний хор уршиг учруулж байгааг тодорхой харуулна. Нүүрсээр галладаг пийшин зуухыг солиход их хугацаа шаардагдах тул, үүнтэй зэрэгцээд агаарын бохирдлын сөрөг нөлөөг бууруулах арга хэмжээ авах зайлшгүй шаардлага бий болж байна. Үүнд судалгааны ажил маань тодорхой хэмжээгээр нэмэр болно гэж найдаж байна.

Одоогоор судалгааныхаа эхний үр дүн, зөвлөмжийг Баянзүрх дүүргийн эрүүл мэндийн мэргэжилтнүүдэд л танилцуулсан байгаа. Бусад дүүрэгт мөн түгээгээсэй гэж хүсэж байна. Нийгмийн эрүүл мэндийн мэргэжилтнүүд болон эмч нарын сургалтын хөтөлбөрт агаарын бохирдлоос урьдчилан сэргийлэх тухай модуль сургалтыг оруулах хэрэгтэй гэж би үзэж байна. Улаанбаатар хотын хувьд агаарын бохирдол нь харьцангуй шинэ асуудал хэдий ч, цаашдаа эмч, эрүүл мэндийн мэргэжилтнүүдийн сургалтын хөтөлбөрт агаарын бохирдлын асуудлыг оруулах нь зүйтэй гэж бодож байна. Нийгэмд эмч, эрүүл мэндийн мэргэжилтнүүдийн үгийг илүү сайн сонсож, хүндэтгэдэг. Иймд эмч нар агаарын бохирдлын эрүүл мэндэд учруулж буй хор нөлөөг илүү ойлгоод ирвэл үүнийг дагаад олон нийтийн ойлголт, хандлага ч сайжирна гэж үзэж байна.

Та зөвлөмж, зөвлөгөөнөөсөө хуваалцана уу?

Миний гаргаж байгаа зөвлөмжүүд хүүхдийн агаарын бохирдолд өртөх өртөлтийг бууруулахад эцэг, эх юу хийж болох вэ гэдэг дээр голлон анхаарсан. Эдгээр зөвлөмжүүд нь ДЭМБ, НҮБ-ын Байгаль орчны байгууллага болон Уур амьсгал, цэвэр агаар эвсэл нарын хамтран хэрэгжүүлдэг BreatheLifeнэртэй кампанит ажлын зөвлөмж дээр тулгуурласан бөгөөд гэр бүлийн зан үйлийг өөрчлөн төлөвшүүлэх зорилготой. (Энэхүү кампанит ажил нь 2030 он гэхэд агаарын бохирдлын хэмжээг аюулгүй түвшинд хүргэж бууруулах санаачилгын хүрээнд дэлхийн хотууд, орон нутгуудтай хамтран ажилладаг). Тухайлбал, ub-air.info вэб сайтаас хотын агаарын чанарыг байнга шалгаж, агаарын бохирдлын түвшин өндөр байгаа үед гадуур удаан гарахгүй, спортоор хичээллэхгүй байх зэргээр ажил, амьдралаа төлөвлөж сурах зөвлөгөөг тусгасан. Ялангуяа хүүхдийн тэрэг түрж явахдаа замынхаа барилгатай талд явах нь зөв. Өвлийн цагт Монголчууд гэртээ дийлэнх цагаа өнгөрүүлдэг. Иймд гэр доторх агаарыг цэвэр байлгах нь чухал. Үүний тулд чанартай түлш, зуух ашиглах шаардлагатай.

“Веб сайтаас хотын агаарын чанарыг байнга лавлаж харах, агаарын бохирдол өндөр үед гадаа аль болох гарахгүй байхыг зөвлөмөөр байна.”

Судалгаа хийх үед тулгарсан бэрхшээл?

Судалгаанд ашигласан тоон мэдээллээ ойлгох, дүн шинжилгээ хийхэд бэрхшээл тулгарсан. Зарим үед мэдээллийг компьютерт оруулаагүй байсан нь тухайн мэдээллийг олж авахад хүндрэлтэй байсан. Мөн зарим нэг хэрэгтэй мэдээлэл огт байхгүй, эсвэл байсан ч алдаатай тэмдэглэгдсэн зэрэг тохиолдол гарсан. Түүнчлэн агаарын чанар хэмждэг суурин харуулуудын зарим нь урт хугацаанд ажиллахгүй байх тохиолдол байсан тул хүссэн хэмжээний мэдээллээ цуглуулж авч чадаагүй.

Тэгвэл эерэг сэтгэгдэл үлдээсэн зүйл нь юу байв?

Дүүргийн эрүүл мэндийн мэргэжилтнүүдэд агаарын бохирдлын талаар сургалт семинар зохион байгуулах боломж олдсонд их баяртай байсан. Судалгааны маань үр дүн эмч, эрүүл мэндийн ажилчдад илүү чухал юм. Асуудал хэр ноцтой байгааг тэд өөрсдөө ойлгож байж хүүхдүүдийн эцэг эхэд ойлгуулна шүү дээ. Намайг сургалт зохион байгуулж байхад дүүргийн эрүүл мэндийн ажилчид асуулт тавьж, их идэвхтэй байсан нь надад их урам хайрласан.

Мисбат, Эрүүл Мэндийн Шинжлэх Ухааны Их Сургуулийн оюутан Г.Жаргалсайхан хоёр ажиллаж байна. ©UNICEFMongolia/2018/Sabina Netrvalova

Монголын судлаач нартай, байгууллагуудтай хамтран ажиллахад ямар санагдав?

Монгол дахь НҮБ-ын Хүүхдийн Сангийнмэргэжилтнүүд миний судалгаанд их тусламж дэмжлэг үзүүлсэн. Надад тоон мэдээлэл олж өгөхөөс гадна, удирдан чиглүүлж, зөвлөгөө өгч байсан. Миний гаргасан санал санаачилга болгоныг хүлээн авч байсанд би маш их баярласан. Анагаахын шинжлэх ухааны үндэсний их сургуулийн багш Г.Жаргалсайхантай хамтран ажилласандаа их талархсан. Надад уг нь орчуулга хийж өгөх үүрэгтэй байсан ч, судалгааны ажилд их хувь нэмэр оруулж хамтарч ажилласан. Судалгааны материал цуглуулах үед гарч байсан асуултын ихэнхэд нь хариулж, судалгааны дүнг боловсруулахад их тус болсон. Жаргалсайхан болон НҮБ-ын Хүүхдийн Сантай хамтран ажилласнаар их олон зүйлийг мэдэж авлаа.

Мисбат Даудань эрүүл мэнд ба хүрээлэн буй орчин чиглэлээр Харвардын Их Сургуулийн Нийгмийн Эрүүл Мэндийн Магистрт сурдаг. Тэрээр 12-р сард сургуулиа төгсөөд, хүрээлэн буй орчны өөрчлөлт ба хүүхдийн эрүүл мэндийн чиглэлээр үргэлжлүүлэн сурах зорилготой. Тэрээр хөгжиж буй болон буурай хөгжилтэй улс орнуудад хүрээлэн буй орчны хүчин зүйлсээс болж хүүхдүүд хэрхэн эрхээ бүрэн эдэлж чадахгүй байгааг судлах сонирхолтой.

Бичсэн:

Сабина Нетрвалова

НҮБ-ын Сайн дурын ажилтан

НҮБ-ын Хүүхдийн Сан

Mongolia moves to promote and protect children’s rights online

October 28, 2018, 6:42 pm

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“Although, we emphasize online child sexual abuse and exploitation, we cannot forget about the opportunities that the Internet has to offer,” said Mr. Alex Heikens during the opening of the consultation “National multi-sectoral responses to prevent and tackle online child sexual abuse and exploitation.” ©UNICEFMongolia/2018/MungunkhishigB

ULAANBAATAR, Mongolia - Every half a second, a child goes online for the first time – tapping into all the great opportunities the Internet has to offer, along with its grave threats. Protecting children online is a challenge for every country. In Mongolia, children and young people are the most active and enthusiastic users of social media. The country stands on top in the region with around 94 percent of the pupils in Mongolia actively using Facebook. Statistics show that there are over 2 million users of Facebook in Mongolia.

“The number of Internet users has been growing rapidly. Safety of kids and teens on social media in our country is under threat. We recently detained a man who managed to get naked or half-naked photos of over 100 girls and women. He used those to blackmail for sex or money’’ says Mr Budzaan Davaasambuu, Head of the National Police Division to Protect Children from Crime. It is evident from the national child helpline which received over 250 calls related to online sexual abuse and violence last year alone.  

UNICEF has been supporting the Government of Mongolia in addressing the issue for the last few years. Significant progress has been made towards bringing together relevant sectors and partners, improving their knowledge and understanding, raising awareness among public and facilitating international dialogues.  

Only last week, UNICEF organized a national consultation on “National multi-sectoral responses to prevent and tackle online child sexual abuse and exploitation” to call the attention of relevant parties both locally and internationally, and to strengthen multi-sectoral cooperation.

The two-day consultation was attended by representatives from local government partners such as Ministry of Labour and Social Protection, National Police Agency, Authority for Family, Child and Youth Development, Communication Regulatory Committee, Communication and Information Technology Agency, and business sectors. International experts from International Telecommunication Union (ITU), INTERPOL, and Child Helpline International also joined the consultation to share their expertise and explore Mongolia-specific strategies to tackle the issues.

Participants of the two-day national consultation.  ©UNICEFMongolia/2018/MungunkhishigB

“UNICEF is pleased to be a partner in preventing and protecting children from online risks of abuse and exploitation and support the Government’s ongoing efforts. Even though, we will be talking about the risks that our children face in the digital world and discuss the ways to address those, let us not forget that the Internet comes with certain risks, but it also provides our children with profound benefits” explained Mr. Alex Heikens, UNICEF Mongolia Representative. “To bring about a safer internet for every child, the ICT industry has a key role to play, alongside the government, parents, caregivers, teachers, community leaders, civil society and where possible, children themselves.”

Together with ITU, INTERPOL and Child Helpline International, UNICEF, through research, policy and programme work, communication and advocacy, promotes all children’s rights to access and to be empowered to use ICTs, while being protected from harm. Evidence shows that efforts to build a protective online/offline environment for children must be integrated into larger child and social protection efforts in progress.

Way forward: Bridging gaps and strengthening capacity  

                As a result of the first-time consultation among international and national organizations, government agencies, civil society and the ICT industry, participants all agreed that the knowledge and policy gaps are among the top priorities which need to be addressed. UNICEF is committed to supporting the government in strengthening their capacity as well as awareness-raising campaigns to leverage public support, while the other international experts also expressed their keen interest in working with local agencies at a wider scale than before.

As part of WePROTECT, a global alliance to stop the crime of online child sexual abuse and exploitation, the Model National response has emerged as an important framework to guide the country-level efforts. It calls on industry and governments to implement takedown procedures, so that child sexual abuse material is removed promptly when a company confirms its presence on their service. It also highlights the importance of reporting services and usage of the latest technology available to combat the spread of child sexual abuse materials online.

Mr. Apichart Hattasin, from Interpol presents best practices in Asia and reiterates that Interpol is ready to work with local partners on a broader scale.  ©UNICEFMongolia/2018/MungunkhishigB

Whilst these initiatives are focused on response to online child sexual exploitation, the participants also acknowledged that this cannot be addressed in isolation and a wider set of capabilities to prevent and tackle child sexual exploitation and abuse are required to be in place to ensure a complete national response for children in Mongolia.

                

Written by

Mungunkhishig Batbaatar,

Communication Associate,

UNICEF Mongolia

Making early learning more accessible with ger kindergartens

December 6, 2018, 1:19 am

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Thanks to ger kindergarten, additional 20 children can access early childhood education. ©UNICEFMongolia/2018/Sabina Netrvalova

The kindergarten No. 189 in Ulaanbaatar’s Khan-Uul district is buzzing with noises. In the ger classroom, using the traditional Mongolian tent-like structure, children are running around, playing or singing. Two teachers taking care of them – Mrs. Amgalan and her assistant – certainly have their hands full.

The ger classroom was opened in February 2018 because of the insufficient capacity of the kindergarten’s main building. Thanks to the two connected gers, additional 20 children can now access early childhood education.

“I’m very happy that my youngest son can finally attend kindergarten. I have three children but I couldn’t work because I had to stay at home and take care of him. Now I work as a cook,” says Enkhtuya, mother of 2 years old Erdenebat. 

Although Mongolia’s goal is to have every child aged 2 - 5 enrolled in early childhood education, the capacity of kindergartens is often not enough. In many districts of Ulaanbaatar city, the kindergartens organize lotteries to decide who will get a place. In the beginning of previous school year, the kindergarten No. 189 held a lottery as well but many children ended up unlucky. The governor office of Khan-Uul district later decided to establish there a ger classroom for the youngest children, with support from UNICEF Mongolia and financial contribution of the Government of Monaco. 

“My son Tsetsenbilguun won the lottery but eventually there wasn’t space for him anyway. Then in January, the kindergarten announced that it will be opening a ger classroom for 2 years old lottery winners after all,” says Dashzeveg, mother of three. “Now when Tsetsenbilguun goes to kindergarten, I have more time for my youngest child, who is only 10 months. My son used to be very naughty at home and often disturbed his little sister, but now everything is much better,” adds Dashzeveg with a smile on her face.

The ger kindergarten is equipped with a carpet on the floor, floor heating, furniture,  learning materials and toys. ©UNICEFMongolia/2018/Sabina Netrvalova

Learning to talk, sing and draw

The classroom is in traditional Mongolian gers, built right next to the main building and equipped with a carpet on the floor, furniture, learning materials and toys. Although gers are usually heated by a stove standing in the center, the ger classroom has a floor heating. This way the air inside does not get polluted so easily and children can play in much safer environment. 

“In winter, children were not as sick as usual,” says Ms. Amgalan, who has been working as a kindergarten teacher for ten years. In the beginning of school year, she was working in the main building and taking care of more than 50 children in just one classroom. 

“In the ger classroom, children have more space to play and it allows us to work with them closely so they can develop better. Many of them could not talk or draw in the beginning of February. Now they communicate more with each other, play together, and they also learned how to hold a pen and color within the lines,” Amgalan describes. 

The parents agree with her. “I can see a big difference in Erdenebat already. He is learning to sing, draw and tell stories. He is also getting more self-reliant – he can now eat and use the toilet by himself,” says Enkhtuya proudly, looking at her son. 

With early childhood education program, Erdenebat (second from right) learned to be more self-reliant. Enhkhkhuslen (second from left) is learning to speak. ©UNICEFMongolia/2018/Sabina Netrvalova

“I like going to kindergarten because I enjoy playing games and listening to the teacher reading books or poems. I also like the food here,” he adds shyly.

The kindergarten has also helped Enkhkhuslen, an adorable little girl with ponytail and pink tights. “Just a few months ago, she couldn’t speak at all. Now her speech has become much better,” says her grandmother Oyunjargal, who is helping Enkhkhuslen’s busy parents to take care of her. 

Early learning for the most disadvantaged children

Although the early years of a child’s life represent a crucial period for development and can have a major impact on their future, one in three children are left out of Mongolia’s early childhood educational services. Ger kindergartens represent a cost-effective way how to provide education even to the most disadvantaged children and boost their social, emotional and cognitive development. 

The ger classroom at the kindergarten No. 189 proves that. But as the kindergarten’s manager points out, around 60 percent of preschoolers living in the sub-district still do not have access to early childhood education. UNICEF Mongolia is trying to fight this statistic.

Ms. Amgalan has been working as a kindergarten teacher for ten years. ©UNICEFMongolia/2018/Sabina Netrvalova

“Early learning has a tremendous impact on education outcomes, is a key determinant of a student’s learning potential, and is among the most cost-effective investments a country can make to build human capital and promote sustainable development,” explains UNICEF Mongolia’s Early Childhood Development Officer Ulziisaikhan Sereeter. 

“UNICEF Mongolia supports the government in ensuring that the most disadvantaged children benefit from increased access to early childhood education services by installing ger kindergartens,” she adds. 

The ger kindergartens are one of the various projects UNICEF carries out to support early childhood development. For children who cannot attend any kindergarten, the organization launched a distance learning programme, which allows them to learn at home with their parents using special workbooks and TV lessons. The programme, which combines ICT with visual aids and methods to improve parenting skills, has already helped thousands of Mongolian children. 

UNICEF’s goal is to ensure that all children develop to their full potential, and are ready for school at the right age. The Early Childhood Development programme is one of the ways how to help close the inequality gap, which often starts even before birth. 

Written by 

Sabina Netrvalová

UNV in Communications

UNICEF Mongolia

Faces of UNICEF: Ulziisaikhan Sereeter, Early Childhood Development Officer at UNICEF Mongolia

December 9, 2018, 11:52 pm

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Ulziisaikhan Sereeter, Early Childhood Development Officer at UNICEF Mongolia. ©UNICEFMongolia/2018/Sabina Netrvalova

What do you do in UNICEF Mongolia?

I work as an Early Childhood Development Officer and I oversee young children’s issues. I mostly focus on young children aged 0 - 5. For the age 0 - 2, I cooperate with other sectors like health, nutrition, and child protection as part of the integrated Early Childhood Development (ECD) program. For the age 2 - 5, I usually work with kindergartens and preschool education services.

Why is ECD important?

The early years are a crucial period in children’s life. Eighty per cent of brain development happens during age 0 - 2, however the development is very active until age 5. Scientists call it a “window of opportunity” for children. If we invest just one dollar in early childhood development, we earn back 17 dollars in the future. It means that investments into early education development are even more effective than investments into secondary and higher education.

What is your background? What did you do before joining UNICEF?

My academic background is international relations. I have my bachelor’s degree from Mongolian National University and my master’s degree from International School of Japan. Currently I am continuing with my doctoral studies at Mongolian University of Education. 

Before joining UNICEF in 2017, I worked for Save the Children Japan in Mongolia for six years. This experience helped me a lot to understand the issue of early childhood development, preschool education, and secondary education. 

What are the most satisfying parts of your job?

Helping children and contributing to better development of Mongolian children makes me very satisfied. UNICEF Mongolia builds new kindergartens, establishes ger kindergartens, and invests a lot to train the teachers. We also work on new policies to make them more favourable for children’s wellbeing, and to support children’s social, emotional and cognitive development. I am happy that I am making children and their parents happy.

On the other hand, what are some challenges that comes with your job?

We are now building two new kindergartens in Bayanzurkh district of Ulaanbaatar, each for one hundred children, and I feel that the construction work is quite challenging. I don’t have much experience in construction, so it was difficult to prepare all the documentation. It is a very lengthy process.

Ulziisaikhan Sereeter during a visit of a ger kindergarten in Ulaanbaatar. ©UNICEFMongolia/2018/Sabina Netrvalova

What do you consider to be UNICEF’s biggest achievement in regards of ECD?

As Mongolia has a shortage of kindergartens, establishing ger kindergartens and building new facilities means that more children can access early childhood education. UNICEF provides technical support to the government on improving policy environment for preschool education and integrated ECD. Through trainings, it successfully disseminated information on brain development of children and key messages about ECD.   

Can you describe what does your average working day look like?

In the morning, I prioritize the tasks which I have to do. Then I usually have some project implementation work with our partners, I also write project proposals and reports, and follow up on the financial reports. Especially in summer, I welcome some donors, so I have to prepare the visits and make all the arrangements. 

What advice would you give to people seeking similar job as yours?

My advice would be that the educational sector is very rich, and it has a lot of issues that need to be improved. To young people, I would advise to study education at university and try to get some experience in working with young children, for example in kindergartens. This way they can learn what help and support is needed. And a good knowledge of English is important too. 

Can you share with us some of your nice memories while working for UNICEF Mongolia?

Last spring, I visited Gobi-Altai province where UNICEF conducted a training for kindergarten managers and teachers on how to work with children with disabilities. Thanks to this training, one teacher discovered a child who couldn’t speak and made it possible for the child to attend the kindergarten and receive an early learning nonetheless. That is a very nice memory for me.

Written by 

Sabina Netrvalová

UNV in Communications 

UNICEF Mongolia

No child benefit, no school supplies

December 25, 2018, 8:20 pm

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5-year-old twins from Gurvanbulag soum in south-western Mongolia. Their parents depend on child benefit, which is the family's only source of income. ©UNICEFMongolia/2018/Sabina Netrvalova

“One litre of vegetable oil… 500 grams of flour… and some potatoes.” The owner of the grocery store in Gurvanbulag, a small soum (village) in south-western Mongolia, is going through her notebook. Every page is for one local family – a family who cannot afford to buy basic groceries and has to get them on credit. 

“Almost everybody in the village borrows from us because they have very little money. They usually pay us back once a month but not always – the herders often pay only once a year, after they sell cashmere wool,” the shopkeeper explains.

Life is not easy in Gurvanbulag, the remotest soum of Bayankhongor Province. The closest town is about ten hours away on a bumpy road, and weather conditions are so harsh that it is impossible to dig a well and install water pipes because of permafrost. The biggest problem, though, is the lack of jobs. Of the 2,200 people who live in this soum, only a few have a regular income – they are usually public servants or teachers. Everyone else depends on short-term seasonal work and various types of welfare benefits.

However, the most common benefit – child benefit, payable monthly to families with children under 18 – has been significantly reduced in the last few years. In 2016, the once-universal Child Money Programme became poverty targeted. Nowadays, the benefit, which is 20,000 tugriks (less than US$8) per child, is available for only 80 per cent of children. For many families, this is their only source of income.

“We don’t have any animals and there are no jobs, so child benefit is all we get. We’re now raising five children plus our granddaughter. Every month we receive 100,000 tugriks [less than US$40], which we use to buy flour, rice and meat,” says Mrs. Saruul Galsandorj. She and her husband only completed eight grades at school and Saruul has never worked. Her husband used to work in construction but cannot find a permanent job.

Mrs. Saruul’s family lives with less than US$40 per month. They used to spend the child benefit on school supplies but now they use the money to buy food. ©UNICEFMongolia/2018/Sabina Netrvalova

Until last year, the family received food stamps, which they used to buy basic groceries, and spent the child benefit on school supplies. But that changed – after filling in the government PMT survey, the family does not get any food stamps anymore. “Living only on child benefit is hard – we can’t even afford to buy coal for heating,” says Saruul.

Children left behind 

A PMT (proxy means test) is a way of measuring levels of poverty in a family, using household assets, or ‘proxies’ to estimate welfare. Last year, a government survey asked families about their income, possessions, and any large recent purchases, and then sent the data to the central registry in Ulaanbaatar. Every household was then given a score depending on their answers. 

“However, the process isn’t clear and even we don’t understand how they come up with the final scores and decide who is eligible for what. There’s a lack of information and people blame us for not getting benefits,” says Mrs. Tseye Baramsai, a social worker in Gurvanbulag. “The child benefit is creating a lot of problems in the soum– families with similar standards of living find it unfair that only some of them get it. There’s a lot of tension,” she adds.

For many families, benefits are the only way they can save money for their children’s education or even afford more nutritious food and pay for healthcare. That is why UNICEF believes that the child benefit should be universal, so no child is left behind. 

“Using a PMT for targeting Child Money is problematic. The last PMT covered less than 70 per cent of households. It is well known for its exclusion errors which are built into its design, and further errors are added during implementation. UNICEF supports the universality of the programme and offers other options, such as age-based or geographic targeting, if the Government cannot afford the fully universal Child Money Programme,” explains Mrs. Enkhnasan Nasan-Ulzii, Head of Social Policy at UNICEF Mongolia.

Child benefit for better education opportunities

In Erdenetsogt, another soum in Bayankhongor Province, the situation is similar. Although only 35 kilometres from the provincial capital, many locals struggle to find a long-term job. 

Mrs. Khaltar’s family is one of the poorest in Erdenetsogt. Her children find only short-term seasonal jobs. ©UNICEFMongolia/2018/Sabina Netrvalova

Mrs. Khaltar Urchger has 11 children who still live with her – together with her four grandchildren. “We used to have many animals until my husband died 15 years ago. We wouldn’t survive without benefits because there is no work. My children only find short-term jobs like sea buckthorn picking,” she says. The family is one of the poorest in the soum, and as such, is also eligible for food stamps. “But in the first six months of the year, there were some administrative issues and we didn’t receive any. I had to take a pension loan, which means I won’t be getting any pension until 2020. We didn’t manage to save anything from the child benefit,” says Mrs. Khaltar.

Frequent delays and changes have also been a problem for Mrs. Byambasuren Manikhuu, mother of four. “We were excluded from the Child Money Programme when it became poverty targeted. Fortunately, now our children are eligible again. Two of them study at university and we use all the child benefit to pay for their tuition fees. I was very upset when we got cut off,” she says. The family owns more than 200 animals, which means it has some income from selling dairy products. However, they are dependent on child benefit in the winter.

In winter, Mrs. Byambasuren's family is dependent on child benefit. ©UNICEFMongolia/2018/Sabina Netrvalova

UNICEF believes that the Child Money Programme is a way to reduce child poverty in Mongolia. More than a third of children (38.5 per cent) live in poverty, compared to 29.6 per cent of the population as a whole. A UNICEF-commissioned study shows that the programme has already contributed to a 5 per cent reduction in child poverty. 

Written by 

Sabina Netrvalová

UNV in Communications 

UNICEF Mongolia

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How do you fight air pollution in Mongolia? Start with ballet

July 25, 2019, 9:04 pm

≪ Previous: No child benefit, no school supplies

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©️ Emmanuelle Svartz @ Ambling Light Photography

Swan Lake? Romeo and Juliet? Think again! Discover how modern ballet can tell the story of the devastating impact of air pollution on children, and trigger action.

A familiar issue presented in a not-so-familiar way. A little girl walking home from school. A violent cough makes her whole body shake.

All she dreams of is clean air.

This could be a common scene in Ulaanbaatar, one of the most polluted capitals in the world and home to half of Mongolia’s three million population. However, this is the opening scene of Life Element – O2, a modern ballet production created and staged by the Mongolian Ballet Program to call for action against air pollution in Mongolia.

Dancers during Life Element – O2, a modern ballet production staged in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, to call for action against air pollution. ©UNICEFMongolia/2019/Batgerel

A modern ballet that moves

Combining old and new, this production takes an innovative approach to fighting toxic air. Graceful ballet moves meet face masks to raise awareness about the urgent issue of air pollution and its impact on children’s health.

Supported by UNICEF and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, Life Element – O2 taps into the timeless art of ballet to highlight environmental issues.

“It is definitely a new way to raise awareness on air pollution also among young people, building upon the enormous talent of the dancers and producer,” said Gabriella Sprili, Director of the Swiss agency.

Two dancers perform a pas de deux during Life Element – O2, a modern ballet production staged in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, to call for action against air pollution. ©UNICEFMongolia/2019/Batgerel

How air pollution harms children

Recent data published by Mongolia’s National Statistics Office show that the residents of Ulaanbaatar – where air pollution levels are among the highest in the world in winter when pollution is strongest – were breathing in polluted air for 339 days last year.

The biggest source of air pollution comes from coal-burning stoves in Ger districts, which make up 60 per cent of Ulaanbaatar’s population. A Ger is a traditional Mongolian home, which consists for the most part of felt covers and wooden columns, and can be easily assembled and disassembled to suit traditional nomadic life.

Children in a highly polluted district of the city have been found to have weaker lungs than children in rural areas ─ with as much as 40 per cent poorer lung function.

With adverse health effects including stillbirth, pneumonia, bronchitis and asthma, air pollution has become a maternal and child health crisis in Mongolia.

A dancer performs in Life Element – O2, a modern ballet production staged in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, to call for action against air pollution. ©UNICEFMongolia/2019/Batgerel

Taking action to protect children

UNICEF has been actively working with the Government of Mongolia and other partners to reduce air pollution in the country, as well as protect the health of children and pregnant women from its impact.

Action has focused on gathering evidence and raising awareness on the health impact of air pollution; providing practical information to parents on protecting children from toxic air and switching to cleaner energy; and increasing coverage of pneumonia vaccines.

“[The performance] was truly powerful. Without a single word, the show managed to bring the message across of how incredibly big the issue of air pollution is, and how it affects us all,” said Alex Heikens, UNICEF Representative to Mongolia. “The performance reminds us once again of the urgency to move to solutions that are going to deliver on that big dream we have for our children – clean air.”

Dancers raise their phones as torch lights during Life Element – O2, a modern ballet production staged in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, to call for action against air pollution. ©UNICEFMongolia/2019/Batgerel

Just a dream?

As the performance comes to an end, the little girl and her friends celebrate on stage. After joining forces to stop air pollution, the air is now clean.

Is this the happy ending everyone was waiting for?

Possibly. But just before the curtains close, the girl wakes up. And she realizes that the happy ending was just a dream.

As the theatre fills with loud clapping, the dancers come to the front of the stage and a message appears on the screen behind them: “Let us make this dream a reality for every child.”

After its first show in May, the ballet is scheduled to be staged again later this year, to coincide with a regional conference on air pollution and child health in East Asia.

Written by 

Ariunzaya Davaa

Communication Specialist

UNICEF Mongolia