Mongolia Commitment Statement

Mongolia Commitment Statement
Arising from the
6th Asian Women Parliamentarians’ and Ministers’ Conference on
Financing Millenium Development Goals, with focus on health and gender
We, the parliamentarians and ministers from twenty one countries of Asia and the Pacific, gathered in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, on 23-24 September 2008 to participate in the 6th Asian Women Parliamentarians’ and Ministers’ Conference, in pursuant of our commitment to the timely achievement of the Millenium Development goals, particularly those on health and gender. The outcomes of this regional Forum will be an important contribution to global efforts towards meeting the MDGs in 2015 and particularly in promoting women's empowerment, gender equality and universal access to basic health services, including reproductive health services, in accordance with the Beijing and the Cairo Programmes of Action.


This commitment recognizes that:
 Parliamentarians are key to meeting the Millenium Development Goals (MDGs) and their commitment to support MDG related policies and budgets is a main factor for countries to realistically achieve their national development goals and targets. Particular emphasis is made on the role of women parliamentarians who are often the natural champions for supporting social sector policies and programmes, and national development efforts.
 Goals related to health (MDGs 4, 5 and 6) and gender (MDG 3) remain most challenging in many countries, particularly in Asia, where it also requires massive infrastructure investments, systems strengthening and sustainable capacity development, and support to policy development and/or implementation, to ensure that they have an impact on poverty alleviation.
 Political instability, sheer population numbers, emerging issues such as HIV/AIDS, increasing urbanization and migration, socio-economic disparities, and gender inequalities continue to undermine MDG progress. And while access to basic health, including reproductive health, and other social services have improved in many countries, their quality remains poor and inadequate.
 Financing MDGs requires increased understanding of evidence based costing requirements, and improved financial planning and management to ensure effective distribution and utilization of often scarce resources for MDG based priorities. Most governments are still heavily reliant on external donor assistance, and sometimes, national budgets are not properly prioritized or utilized. National governance structures are also often lacking or weak, and many times ignores the potential role of civil society organizations in enhancing transparency and accountability.
We further acknowledge that immediate actions are needed to address the above mentioned concerns and challenges, in order to meet the following health and gender goals and the respective targets set forth under each of them:

• MDG3: Gender Equality: Eliminate gender disparity in primary and secondary education, preferably by 2005, and in all levels of education no later than 2015
• MDG 4 - Reduce Child Mortality: Reduce by two thirds the mortality rate among children under five
• MDG 5 - Improve Maternal Health: Reduce by three quarters the maternal mortality ratio and achieve, by 2015, universal access to reproductive health
• MDG 6 - Combat HIV/AIDS, Malaria and other Diseases: Halt and begin to reverse the spread of HIV/AIDS; achieve, by 2010, universal access to treatment for HIV/AIDS for all those who need it; and halt and begin to reverse the incidence of malaria and other major diseases.

Thus, as participants to the Ulaanbaatar Conference, as Parliamentarians and Ministers, we commit ourselves to ensuring adequate attention and concrete policy actions and recommendations to ensure the following:

• Relevant support for MDG-consistent national development strategies, plans and budgets
• Evidence based costing requirements for financing MDGs
• Improved financial planning and management to ensure effective distribution and utilization of often scarce resources for MDG based priorities
• Enhancing the capacity of national logistical systems to deliver timely and quality health commodities, essential drugs and other supplies
• Transitioning from a heavy reliance on external donor assistance to greater self sufficiency within national budgets
• Strengthening governance structures and highlighting the role of civil society organizations in enhancing transparency and accountability
• Considering avenues for strengthening inter-country and regional cooperation.

Specifically, we commit to the following:

 MAINSTREAM gender equality in all MGDs!
 Ensure financial adequacy for MDG achievement, but also address better and more effective resource utilization according to strategic national priorities
 Establish necessary policies and institutional settings that are conducive for MDGs implementation
 Enhance budget reforms by introducing bottom-up approach, and ensuring sustainable financing through better aid coordination and more rational use of resources
 Ensure enacted laws and policies are implemented and funded.
 Fund programmes that are targeted to the poorest and most vulnerable populationg groups
 Encourage community based financing
 Review country reports on MDGs implementation and arrange its debate in Parliament
 Emphasis linkages of reproductive health, and family planning, antenatal care, maternal and newborn health care as basis to reduce poverty

 Examine the ratio of internal and external assistance for MDGs and monitor the implementation

 Refine country specific MDG targets