Save the Children launches a new office in Gobi-Altai aimag

A “Establishing school-based child protection mechanism in Mongolia” project by Save the Children has been implemented in Gobi-Altai aimag starting from January, 2023. This child protection project will be implemented for three years by Save the Children Japan, Mongolia Office (SCJM) in collaboration with the Gobi-Altai aimag Governor’s Office, and an official meeting was held at the local government house on January 16, 2023 to sign a Memorandum of Understanding. The memorandum was countersigned by Mr. G. Chinbat, the Deputy Governor of Gobi-Altai aimag, and Mr. L. Bayan-Altai, Country manager and Representative of Save the Children Japan, Mongolia Office.

During the meeting, Mr. L. Bayan-Altai, Country manager and Representative of Save the Children Japan, Mongolia Office (SCJM), briefly introduced about the organization and its previous interventions to realize child rights in the aimag, and Mrs. E. Tsolmon, Child Protection and Child Rights Governance Programs manager of Save the Children Japan, Mongolia Office introduced the goal, objectives and work plans of the project to the local authorities.

Mr. L. Bayan-Altai Country manager and Representative of Save the Children Japan, Mongolia Office stated that “Save the Children has begun a new child protection project to keep children safe from all forms of violence in school-based environment, to create new job opportunities in the community, and to be able to carry out our activities in a stable manner. We will select two general education schools from Gobi-Altai aimag as part of the project, with the assistance of school teachers, staff, and a multidisciplinary team. We will create a model environment for children to learn and develop safely, we will support the dissemination of good practices and methods that have been created in the process to other schools.”

Mr. G. Chinbat, the Deputy Governor of Gobi-Altai aimag emphasized that: “The administration of the aimag welcomes the fact that Save the Children opened its new office in Gobi – Altai aimag and has started implementing a child protection project. Establishing school-based child protection is a critical task at a time when the aimag is working to improve the quality of education by investing funds and making progress. Aimags, soums, school management and multidisciplinary teams will fully support to the implementation of the project activities and localize the standard model to other schools in order to benefit from the results for many years in the future”.

SCJM will train school staff, teachers, and parents in Gobi-Altai aimag on how to support children’s learning and development in non-violent ways, as well as improve and establish cooperation between school and multidisciplinary teams, so parents and caregivers will pay attention to child protection issues and create practices that actively protect children. Furthermore, by encouraging children’s participation, it is planned to implement activities within the project framework to assist them in overcoming difficulties and acquiring the skills of mentoring their peers.

Previously, SCJM implemented the project “Mainstreaming Social Accountability for Improved Transparency and Participation in Mongolia”, Emergency Relief Assistance Program and rendered “Technical Assistance to Strengthen the COVID-19 Response in Mongolia” under Meeting Targets and Maintaining Epidemic Control (EpiC) project, along with training for 18 doctors and nurses from the soum’s health center and the provision of oxygen equipment to the soums. Furthermore, a health project funded by the “Denan” has been in operation since 2022.