Good Governance
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PIN Mongolia perceives its role as a partner for Mongolian communities, CSOs and government to support effective dialogue and to take the right process for decisions ensuring people-centred and sustainable development in Mongolia. We support the development of an active and grassroots-based civil society which is able to constructively engage local authorities and other stakeholders on the issues that matter the most to local communities.
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New online platform launched to support civil society in Mongolia
ULAANBAATAR, Mongolia – Civil society organizations form the foundation of Mongolia’s democracy. Since Mongolia’s peaceful revolution in 1990, civil society organizations (CSOs) have played a critical role in the country’s economic and democratic transition.
However, challenges to accessing international funds and leveraging global expertise continues to be a challenge for local CSOs. In Mongolia, CSOs are essential for more accountable governance and freer societies and must be adequately resourced. The future of the sector is via supporting local actors alongside strengthening government systems yet the processes and systems to support such locally led action are minimal.
To better serve CSOs, People In Need (PIN), inspired by the EU Delegation’s CSO Roadmap, has launched a new platform called “Civil Society Now” – commonly referred to as CSN.
“At PIN, we are looking at an approach to flip the power dynamic whereby we provide capacity building services to local CSOs in order for them to be able to directly access and manage international donor funding,” said Camila Garbutt, Head of PIN’s Global Technical Advisory Unit.
“PIN itself has grown from being a small civil society organisation in the Czech Republic to become a trusted partner of institutional donors operating in more than 20 countries. This recent growth means it has a fresh living memory of its own organizational development, remembering and understanding the needs of smaller organisations and pathways for establishing the required standards.”
PIN will open up its internal fundraising, accountability, donor compliance and programme management systems to provide local CSOs with the resources required to build their own in order to access and effectively manage international donor funding. The CSN platform aims to contribute to Mongolia’s development, growth and emancipation of local civil society organizations. The services provided to members would be template resources, internal guidance documents, drop-in sessions on topics requested by members, and consultancy support.
“An empowered Civil Society is a crucial component for Mongolia’s democratic system and is an asset in itself. CSOs represent and foster pluralism and can contribute to more effective policies, to equitable and sustainable development and to inclusive growth. It is great to see that our Roadmap is inspiring others to contribute to a Civil Society landscape conducive to strengthening governance and democracy in Mongolia.”, said H.E. Ms Axelle Nicaise, Ambassador of the European Union to Mongolia.
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About People in Need (PIN): The CEO and co-founder of PIN is Simon Pánek, one of the student activists during the Velvet Revolution in the Czech Republic. PIN is an active member of the European Partnership for Democracy as well as a framework partner of the European Commission for civil society development. In Mongolia, PIN strives to strengthen capacities of local authorities and CSOs, promote human rights, and empower communities to be the drivers of change and equal opportunities to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and the Government’s ‘Vision 2050’. For more information about PIN Mongolia and its work, visit: www.mongolia.peopleinneed.net/en/
Contact info: For project or media-related inquiries, please contact Tina Puntsag, Communications and Advocacy Manager: tina.puntsag@peopleinneed.net / phone: +70111501
EU Roadmap for Engagement with Civil Society in Mongolia (2021-2025): https://europa.eu/!nnjWtj
However, challenges to accessing international funds and leveraging global expertise continues to be a challenge for local CSOs. In Mongolia, CSOs are essential for more accountable governance and freer societies and must be adequately resourced. The future of the sector is via supporting local actors alongside strengthening government systems yet the processes and systems to support such locally led action are minimal.
To better serve CSOs, People In Need (PIN), inspired by the EU Delegation’s CSO Roadmap, has launched a new platform called “Civil Society Now” – commonly referred to as CSN.
“At PIN, we are looking at an approach to flip the power dynamic whereby we provide capacity building services to local CSOs in order for them to be able to directly access and manage international donor funding,” said Camila Garbutt, Head of PIN’s Global Technical Advisory Unit.
“PIN itself has grown from being a small civil society organisation in the Czech Republic to become a trusted partner of institutional donors operating in more than 20 countries. This recent growth means it has a fresh living memory of its own organizational development, remembering and understanding the needs of smaller organisations and pathways for establishing the required standards.”
PIN will open up its internal fundraising, accountability, donor compliance and programme management systems to provide local CSOs with the resources required to build their own in order to access and effectively manage international donor funding. The CSN platform aims to contribute to Mongolia’s development, growth and emancipation of local civil society organizations. The services provided to members would be template resources, internal guidance documents, drop-in sessions on topics requested by members, and consultancy support.
“An empowered Civil Society is a crucial component for Mongolia’s democratic system and is an asset in itself. CSOs represent and foster pluralism and can contribute to more effective policies, to equitable and sustainable development and to inclusive growth. It is great to see that our Roadmap is inspiring others to contribute to a Civil Society landscape conducive to strengthening governance and democracy in Mongolia.”, said H.E. Ms Axelle Nicaise, Ambassador of the European Union to Mongolia.
* * *
About People in Need (PIN): The CEO and co-founder of PIN is Simon Pánek, one of the student activists during the Velvet Revolution in the Czech Republic. PIN is an active member of the European Partnership for Democracy as well as a framework partner of the European Commission for civil society development. In Mongolia, PIN strives to strengthen capacities of local authorities and CSOs, promote human rights, and empower communities to be the drivers of change and equal opportunities to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and the Government’s ‘Vision 2050’. For more information about PIN Mongolia and its work, visit: www.mongolia.peopleinneed.net/en/
Contact info: For project or media-related inquiries, please contact Tina Puntsag, Communications and Advocacy Manager: tina.puntsag@peopleinneed.net / phone: +70111501
EU Roadmap for Engagement with Civil Society in Mongolia (2021-2025): https://europa.eu/!nnjWtj
Empowered People - Improved Livelihoods (EPIL)
PIN Mongolia and three local NGOs indeed implemented an EU-funded project (better known under the name “EP-IL”) in Arkhangai and Övörkhangai, which aimed at increasing access of micro/small economic ventures (be they profit-driven or not) to productive and technical resources, as well as better access to markets and financing (e.g. the Sum Development Fund). It also entailed fostering the interaction between these private entities and the sum authorities. PIN also capacitated the latter to improve their governance, increase citizen’s participation and dialogue between businesses and local authorities.
In Mongolia, the majority of the people living in the rural regions still rely on herding as their main source of income. In 2016, PIN proposed the EPIL project to the European Union as it observed that rural entrepreneurs lacked information about financing and the necessary skills to secure it. They also faced difficulties to create and develop new activities that would help them earn additional money. In a nutshell, they were lacking the opportunities to have better livelihoods. At that time, the central government of Mongolia created a special fund meant to provide soft loans to help rural entrepreneurs pursue and make concrete their business ideas. However, accessing this fund proved to be difficult for business owners as PIN noted issues with the way the fund was managed and with both the quality and the volume of information given to potential loan applicants.
In details, the project focused on different ways to achieve the desired impact:
- Disseminating information about the public fund to businesses, civil society organisations, and cooperatives and training local officials to better governance practices.
- Providing business skills and tools to these private actors, and improving their marketing, financial management, loan applications, and innovative thinking.
- Linking districts, regions, and economic actors together and promoting sharing of knowledge and best practices.
In Mongolia, the majority of the people living in the rural regions still rely on herding as their main source of income. In 2016, PIN proposed the EPIL project to the European Union as it observed that rural entrepreneurs lacked information about financing and the necessary skills to secure it. They also faced difficulties to create and develop new activities that would help them earn additional money. In a nutshell, they were lacking the opportunities to have better livelihoods. At that time, the central government of Mongolia created a special fund meant to provide soft loans to help rural entrepreneurs pursue and make concrete their business ideas. However, accessing this fund proved to be difficult for business owners as PIN noted issues with the way the fund was managed and with both the quality and the volume of information given to potential loan applicants.
In details, the project focused on different ways to achieve the desired impact:
- Disseminating information about the public fund to businesses, civil society organisations, and cooperatives and training local officials to better governance practices.
- Providing business skills and tools to these private actors, and improving their marketing, financial management, loan applications, and innovative thinking.
- Linking districts, regions, and economic actors together and promoting sharing of knowledge and best practices.