Youth and Democracy Education
through Community Engagement
International Seminar on Education for Democracy,
21-22 May, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
Presentation by Ts. Davaadulam,
UNDP Mongolia
Youth Empowerment through Civic
Education
• In support of Mongolia’s Presidency of the
Community of Democracy, the United Nations
Development Programme and the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs and Trade launched the project
in April 2012.
• Will be implemented in 2012-2013.
• UNDP DGTTF – $300.000
• Some interested donors to support the followup
Situation of Youth in Mongolia:
Emerging Issues
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One fifth of the population is aged 15-24.
The diminishing civic attachment as evidenced by shrinking participation by
the youth.
The need to create a democratic space and civic engagement of the youth are
becoming important in the current context of the country where high
economic growth is not translated into prosperity and equal opportunities for
all.
The increasing trend in income disparities posing the risks of triggereing
conflict and violence.
Substantial proportion of youth is hit by poverty and all other related
problems (unemployment, lack of skills that match labour market, lack of
housing and access to credit, migration and unsafe work conditions).
The need to mobilize the youth’s potential for shaping and reflecting larger
struggles for social and political change.
No studies exist in Mongolia to understand the changing values and
aspirations of young people.
Few channels exist to acquire civic education.
Project Objectives
• Improving class-room based civic education
programmes in the formal educational system;
• Co-curricular activities that support and extend
civic education outside of school settings, and
• Supporting youth-led groups, which will add
space and opportunity to exercise participation,
voice, leadership, networking, and conflict
resolution through democratic means.
Output one: Curriculum review
• Conduct a survey of the legal framework, school
practice, teacher training and institutions of civic
education;
• Review of the formal education curriculum with a
specific focus on civic and human rights
education and democratic participation;
• Develop national standards on civic education;
• Develop and disseminate civic educational
materials, including a good choice of textbooks;
• Provide training of teachers for civic education.
Output Two: Increased youth voice in policy making
through community based civic experience
• Undertake a research on value orientation,
identity and aspirations of young men and
women.
• Provide a platform for the youth in interacting
with their elected representatives;
• Encourage dialogue between the youth and
local policy makers on issues related to
improving the quality of life at community
levels;
Innovative practices of
community engagement
Local Governance Support Programme
UNDP
• Grants provided to local governments in 5
pilot aimags to support projects selected
through participatory and transparent
processes
• Improved two-way communication between
citizens and local administrators
• Increased ownership by LGs
Social Accountability Learning in Action Program (SAcLAP)
World Bank
• The goal was to integrate constructive engagement
between citizens and government in monitoring the use of
public resources.
• The initiative supported 13 projects which put into practice
approaches and tools of social accountability
– citizen’s report card in health service delivery and extractive
industries
– Transparency in oil extraction and environmental rehabilitation
– Monitoring of procurement on school roof repairs
– Expenditure tracking on prevention from crimes
– Creation, allocation of the Human development Fund
– Monitoring of school lunch programme
– Road access by people with disabilities
Other initiatives of community
engagement
Centre for Citizenship Education - Building problem
solving skills in school setting
• Combine community based civic experience and
systematic classroom reflection on that experience.
• Teach children to identify problems in their
communities and a dialogue with school administration
and local governments for problem solving
Globe International - Support Community radio in 10
soums of 4 aimags
Swiss Agency for International Cooperation (SDC) – Civic
Engagement at the Local level – Governance and
Decentralisation programme.
Conclusions
• Representative democracy should be
complemented by participatory governance –
direct engagement with government bodies.
• Participation cannot be taught in a class-room.
• Creating a culture of participation is a longterm process requiring attitudinal change.
Output Three: Support to Social Media and Networking
• Support youth-led groups on the content and
interacting with one another on social media and
social networking tools in promoting the ideals of
peace, freedom, justice, tolerance, respect for
human rights, and dedication to the objectives of
social progress and development;
• Mobilize the media in promoting active political
participation of the youth, train journalists, and
produce dedicated TV and radio talk shows;
Thank you for your attention.