ADB approves $3 million grant to combat violence against women and children in Mongolia

The funding includes a $1 million grant from the Asian Development Fund (ADF) and a $2 million grant from the Japan Fund for Prosperous and Resilient Asia and the Pacific (JFPR), financed by the Government of Japan through ADB. The project will also receive $1 million in government financing.

The initiative, titled Preventing and Responding to Gender-Based Violence in Mongolia, is expected to improve learning environments for around 19,500 students, including children with disabilities.

As part of the project, four school dormitories will be upgraded with enhanced safety, security and disaster-resilient features. Comprehensive violence-prevention programs will also be introduced in 12 schools, including updated educational materials, staff training, community engagement and digital safety initiatives aimed at tackling violence both in schools and online.

“The project will make learning safer and enjoyable for children and young people while strengthening services and support systems for survivors of gender-based violence,” ADB Country Director for Mongolia John Juhyun Jeong said.

By bringing together schools, communities, service providers and policymakers, the project will test approaches that could later be expanded through government programs, he added.

Despite progress in implementing laws and policies, violence against women remains a major challenge in Mongolia. More than half of women aged 15 to 64 have experienced intimate partner violence, while social norms often discourage survivors, particularly those in rural areas, from reporting abuse or seeking assistance.

Children and young people also face growing risks from school-related violence, cyberbullying and online harassment.

The project will strengthen support for survivors and young people at risk through recovery, rehabilitation and empowerment programs. It will also build the capacity of teachers, social workers, psychologists and other frontline professionals who respond to cases of violence.

In addition, the initiative will support policy and institutional reforms aimed at improving the prevention of and response to violence against women, including measures to address emerging forms of online abuse.

The Japan Fund for Prosperous and Resilient Asia and the Pacific has supported projects in Mongolia focused on poverty reduction, livelihood development and environmental safeguards for more than two decades.

Earlier, Qazinform reported the Asian Development Bank (ADB) had approved a $130 million loan to help ease overcrowding and expand access to quality education across Mongolia.