PROSPECTS FOR COOPERATION DISCUSSED

H.E. Mrs. Davaasuren Gerelmaa, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Mongolia, met with Ms. Gerel Dondovdorj, a member of the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD).

During the meeting, the parties discussed ways to strengthen collaboration between Mongolia, the United Nations, and other international organizations to enhance the protection of the rights of persons with disabilities. The conversation also focused on Switzerland’s successful initiatives in fostering an inclusive environment that enables persons with disabilities to fully participate in social and economic life without barriers. Additionally, they explored the feasibility of adapting and implementing these best practices in Mongolia.

In June 2024, the 17th Conference of States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities was held in New York, during which elections took place for the UN CRPD Committee’s 2025-2028 term. Ms. Gerel Dondovdorj, who has served as the National Coordinator of the Mongolian Forum for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and as a CRPD Committee member since 2021, was re-elected by a majority vote, ensuring her continued contribution to the Committee’s mandate.

The UN CRPD Committee, composed of 18 independent experts elected for four-year terms, is responsible for monitoring the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Committee members are required to demonstrate impartiality, integrity, and a high level of expertise in human rights and disability-related issues.

Globally, approximately 1.3 billion people - equivalent to 16 percent of the world's population, or one in six individuals - live with some form of disability. Among them, around 200 million experience significant functional limitations, including over 100 million children. Moreover, more than 80 percent of persons with disabilities reside in developing countries.