Universal Periodic Review Working Group – 36th Session

Universal Periodic Review of Mongolia, Statement by Australia

2 November 2020

Thank you, [President/Vice President]

Australia applauds Mongolia’s ongoing progress as a robust democracy with significant protection for human rights.  Australia commends Mongolia on the seriousness with which it responded to the last Universal Periodic Review’s (UPR) recommendations, including officially abolishing the death penalty for all crimes, but notes that more can be done to implement the previous recommendations.

Australia welcomes Mongolia’s reforms to criminalise domestic violence.

We further commend the action taken by the Mongolian Government in criminalising hate crimes to increase protections for LGBTI persons.

Australia recommends that Mongolia:

1. Increase funding to implement its Law to Combat Domestic Violence and enable greater cooperation between sectors responsible for combatting and reporting domestic violence.
2. Improve the rights of women and girls by removing requirements for virginity testing from clinical guidelines and medical standards.
3. Continue training of lawyers and law enforcement officers on offences related to hate crimes against LGBTI persons and increasing public awareness of the law.
4. Ensure independent investigations of attacks against journalists and media workers, with those identified as responsible prosecuted.

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