LIVELIHOOD

During winters, Mongolia can experience a severe cold weather phenomenon called “dzud”. Large numbers of livestock die from either starvation or cold, and these losses have a devastating impact on herder livelihoods.

In fact, the winters in Mongolia have destroyed the livelihoods of thousands of herders, forcing them to move to the capital city Ulaanbaatar to seek employment. However, the city’s job opportunities are limited and there is a lot of competition. This, coupled with the high standard of living in the city, has lead to an increase in the urban poor.

The children and families who migrate from the plains to the cities face problems such as a lack of health and education resources, child protection concerns and more. The urban poor are vulnerable to high unemployment, poor living conditions, as well as limited water, sanitation, electricity, transportation services, education and healthcare.