is Mongolia Child-friendly?

Trans. by S. Enkhbilguun

A nationwide study last year stated that 38 percent of children in Mongolia become victims of mental or physical abuse regularly.

Verbal and physical abuse of a child is largely seen as a normal part of family life in Mongolian society. According to a study by the Capital Child and Family Development Center, 26 percent of children are physically abused regularly by their parents.

From January to November 2015, 691 child related crimes have been reported in Mongolia, from which, 43 children were reportedly injured. Some 702 children were connected to crimes during this period, which is a 22.9 percent increase compared to 2014. The Capital Child and Family Development Center study also said that one in 10 children between the ages of 11 and 17 are sexually abused.

Some 211,700 children live in households with below average income in Mongolia, according to the study.

The study said that due to the economic crisis, secondary school enrollment throughout the country in 2014 was 80.5 percent, which is a 10 percent decline to 2013.

Child labor is also a big concern in Mongolia. Approximately 300 children are subject to child labor in Ulaanbaatar, according to the Capital Child and Family Development Center study. Ten percent of children who labor work in difficult conditions, nine percent in unhealthy conditions and 34 percent in severe working conditions.

Children living in areas near artisanal mines are increasingly working in mines to support their family's financial...