“Human-Centred Development: Sustainable Population Policy for the Gobi Region” Developed

The Ministry of Family Labour and Social Protection, in cooperation with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in Mongolia, has developed and presented for discussion a policy paper titled “Human-Centred Development: Sustainable Population Policy for the Gobi Region,” based on comprehensive demographic research.

The discussion was attended by chairpersons and governors of aimag citizens’ representative councils from the Gobi region, representatives of relevant ministries and agencies, embassies, international development partners, and civil society organizations.

In 2024, the Government of Mongolia revised and approved the “Regional Development Concept of Mongolia,” designating seven economic development regions—Khangaï, Northern, Gobi, Central, Eastern, Western, and Ulaanbaatar—each with its own development priorities.

Within this framework, the Gobi region is to be developed as a “diversified industrial zone and sub-region for green energy,” making the implementation of a demographic strategy for the region particularly important.

In recent years, the Gobi region has experienced slowed population growth and declining fertility rates, indicating the need to strengthen family planning support and improve access to reproductive health services.

Patterns and structures of internal migration also vary across the region. For example, in Ömnögovi aimag, internal migration is dominated by male labour, whereas in Dundgovi aimag, female migration is more pronounced. The study suggests that implementing policies aimed at climate adaptation and creating new livelihood opportunities can help reduce migration pressures in the region.

Since the comprehensive population policy for the Gobi region spans multiple sectors—including health, education, employment, infrastructure, mining, and the environment—participants emphasized that integrating this policy into the medium-term development programs of aimags, under the concept of “Human-Centred Regional Development,” will be crucial for effective implementation.