United Nations A/70/375 Distr.: General 6 October 2015 Original: English General Assembly Seventieth session Agenda item 113 (e) Elections to fill vacancies in subsidiary organs and other elections: election of eighteen members of the Human Rights Council Letter dated 5 October 2015 from the Permanent Representative of Mongolia to the United Nations addressed to the President of the General Assembly I have the honour to present the candidature of Mongolia to the United Nations Human Rights Council and Mongolia's voluntary pledges and commitments pursuant to General Assembly resolution 60/251 (see annex). I should be grateful if you would have the present letter and its annex issued and circulated as a document of the seventieth sessio n of the General Assembly, under agenda item 113 (e). (Signed) Sukhbold Sukhee 15-17242 (E) *1517242* 131015 A/70/375 Annex to the letter dated 5 October 2015 from the Permanent Representative of Mongolia to the United Nations addressed to the President of the General Assembly Candidature of Mongolia to the Human Rights Council, 2016-2018 On 9 January 2012, Mongolia presented its candidature to the Human Rights Council for the term 2016-2018 as a first candidate from Asia and the Pacific. · As a country which committed itself to Millennium Development Goal 9 on strengthening human rights and fostering democratic governance, Mongolia recognizes the centrality of human rights in development planning and acknowledges that human rights, the rule of law and democracy are interlin ked and mutually reinforcing. A wide range of legislation guided by the Constitution protects human rights in Mongolia, including the right to life, liberty and security, education and culture, health and privacy as well as freedom of religion, speech, assembly, peaceful demonstration, movement, etc. · Mongolia has ratified and been implementing over 30 international human rights instruments, including core conventions, demonstrating its strong commitment to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and strengthening of the international human rights system. Mongolia is a party to 15 International Labour Organization conventions and the four Geneva Conventions on international humanitarian law. International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (1969) International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (1976) Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (1976) Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, aiming at the abolition of the death penalty (1991) International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (1976) Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (2013) Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (1981) Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (2000) Signature: 1966 Ratification/Accession: 1969 Signature: 1968 Ratification/Accession: 1974 Ratification/Accession: 1991 Ratification/Accession: 2012 Signature: 1968 Ratification/Accession: 1974 Signature: 2009 Ratification/Accession: 2010 Signature: 1980 Ratification/Accession: 1981 Signature: 2000 Ratification/Accession: 2002 2/7 15-17242 A/70/375 Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (1987) Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (2006) Convention on the Rights of the Child (1990) Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict (2002) Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography (2002) Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on a communications procedure (2014) International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance (2010) Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (2008) Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (2008) Ratification/Accession: 2002 Signature: 2013 Ratification/Accession: 2015 Signature: 1990 Ratification/Accession: 1990 Signature: 2001 Ratification/Accession: 2004 Signature: 2001 Ratification/Accession: 2003 Signature: 2013 Ratification/Accession: 2015 Signature: 2007 Ratification/Accession: 2015 Ratification/Accession: 2009 Ratification/Accession: 2009 · Mongolia ratified the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance and the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment in 2014, and the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on a communications procedure in 2015. It also ratified the International Labour Organization (ILO) Safety and Health in Mines Convention, 1995 (176) in 2015, given the need to improve the situation of human rights in business, especially the mining industry. Earlier in 2012, Mongolia ratified the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, aiming at the abolition of the death penalty. · Mongolia has been consistently supporting the work of special mandate holders and extended a standing invitation to all special procedures back in 2004. Since then we have received eight visits by the Special Rapporteurs on the right to food, on the right to education, on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment and on extreme poverty and human rights as well as the Working Group on business and human rights. Mongolia welcomes the expansion of the mandates of the Special Rapporteurs and stands ready to cooperate with them in implementing their recommendations and providing them with follow-up information. 15-17242 3/7 A/70/375 · Mongolia acts in good faith to submit on a timely basis its national report under the universal periodic review to the Office of the United N ations High Commissioner for Human Rights and periodic reports pursuant to the specific human rights treaties to the relevant treaty bodies. Recognizing the unique role played by the universal periodic review mechanism, the Government of Mongolia had a successful review of its national report for the second cycle of the universal periodic review in May 2015 and received mostly positive comments. Mongolia is fully committed to implementing the recommendations from the second universal periodic review. Those recommendations fall, inter alia, under the following categories: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. Abolition of the death penalty; Measures against torture and other cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment or punishment; Protection of the rights and interests of vulnerable groups, including children, women, the elderly and persons with disabilities; Increasing women's participation at the decision-making level; Combating domestic violence; Protection of the rights of the child; Combating human trafficking; Ensuring full respect of the right to freedom of expression; Accession to international treaties and reflecting them in domestic legislation, and the improving of reporting on the implementation of those treaties; Strengthening the mandate of the National Human Rights Commission; Organizing trainings on the application of international human rights treaties, and others. 10. 11. Civil society is actively consulted in the process of preparing such reports. Mongolia recognizes meaningful and broad-based consultations with civil society as an essential part of this process and as a common goal that is to be achieved in cooperation with civil society. · Since 2013 Mongolia has been making voluntary financial contributions to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. · Mongolia is undertaking a wide-ranging legal reform to harmonize its national laws with the international norms and standards on human rights. This inclusive process, with the active participation of civil so ciety, encompasses the establishment of adequate national mechanisms, the adoption of relevant programmes and the improvement of institutional capacity. · In 2001, Mongolia established the independent National Human Rights Commission in full compliance with the Paris Principles. The Commission is mandated to supervise the ensuring of human rights and freedoms and the implementation of national laws and international obligations on human rights, to demand the restoration of violated rights and to make recom mendations to 4/7 15-17242 A/70/375 state authorities. The Commission has been granted "A" status by the International Coordinating Committee of National Institutions for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights. The Commission was also admitted as a full member of the Asia-Pacific Forum of National Human Rights Institutions in 2001, and successfully hosted on 26 August 2015 the 20th annual general meeting of the Forum and the third biennial conference focusing on the prevention of torture and protection of the rights and di gnity of people held in places of detention. The Commission submits annual reports on the human rights situation in the country for consideration and follow -up action by the Parliament. Upon the review of the 2003 National Action Program on Human Rights, the Government is presently working on the development of a new action plan reflecting emerging challenges faced in the promotion and protection of human rights. · Mongolia successfully chaired the International Conference of New or Restored Democracies from 2003 to 2006 and the Community of Democracies from 2011 to 2013. Voluntary pledges and commitments under General Assembly resolution 60/251 1. At the international level · Mongolia supports the principles of non-selectivity, universality and indivisibility of human rights and will work to ensure the full enjoyment of human rights, including civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights and the right to development. · Mongolia will continue to support the United Nations High Commissi oner for Human Rights and his Office's work towards ensuring higher institutional capacity and improved professional skills for countries in need. Mongolia will also support the independence of the Office and make voluntary financial contributions to its activities. · Mongolia will contribute to the full implementation of the mandate of the Human Rights Council, including through strengthening its capacity to meaningfully and effectively address gross human rights violations. Mongolia shares the view that the Council should serve as a platform for enhanced and open discussion and better international cooperation on human rights issues with a positive impact on national policies. · Recognizing the centrality of the Council in promoting the universality an d indivisibility of human rights, Mongolia will strive to promote non-discrimination, gender equality and women's empowerment and the rights of persons with disabilities, combat violence against women and children, fight human trafficking in all its forms, protect freedom of opinion and expression, freedom of religion and belief, and freedom of assembly and association, and promote the protection of human rights defenders. · Mongolia will continue to support and work towards expanded mandates for the special procedures of the Council and the universal periodic review, through, inter alia, improving the working methods of the Council and its Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review. Mongolia will work towards building consensus on concrete measures to end reprisals against those who cooperate with the United Nations. 15-17242 5/7 A/70/375 · Mongolia will consider ratifying the Kampala Amendments to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, and consider making a declaration under article 22 of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. It will also consider accession to the Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision -Making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters. · Mongolia will support international efforts towards the elaboration of a legally binding instrument to regulate, in international human rights law, the activities of transnational corporations and other business enterprises. 2. At the national level · Mongolia will pursue the comprehensive implementation of its international obligations on human rights and enhance the promotion and protection of human rights at the national level through expanded collaboration with all stakeholders. · Mongolia will continue to submit its report under the universal periodic review and other national reports to the treaty bodies on a timely basis, and will establish an effective mechanism for the implementation of the recommendations made by the universal periodic review, the treaty bodies and special mandate holders. · The ongoing legal reform covers an extensive list of rights to justice and due process of law, including the rights of suspects, accused, defendants, advocates, victims and witnesses. New laws have been recently adop ted on the protection of witnesses and victims, the provision of legal aid to insolvent citizens and the Marshals Service, while the law on police was revised to comply with international human rights standards. Drafts of the new criminal code and criminal procedure code as well as laws on offences, investigation and law enforcement with provisions on the ethics are under consideration by the Government. · Mongolia will strengthen its ongoing efforts to promote human rights education, gender equality and the empowerment of women, including in rural areas, implement measures to ensure the protection of the rights of the child, of the elderly and of people with disabilities and to address violence and discrimination against women, and intensify its fight agai nst trafficking in persons and its prevention. Mongolia will implement measures directed at protecting the rights of nomadic people with regard to the use of land and traditional natural resources and at ensuring a conducive legal framework for the protection of human rights defenders. · Mongolia will enhance its efforts towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals and setting the stage for an inclusive post -2015 national development agenda. · Mongolia values people's participation as a key element of human rights and democracy and to this end, if elected, will work closely with national civil society organizations in relation to its deliberations as a member of the Council. 6/7 15-17242 A/70/375 3. Conclusion Respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, justice and equality are at the heart of all policies pursued by the Government of Mongolia. Having gone through simultaneous transitions to democracy and a market economy and having achieved significant progress, Mongolia believes that as a Human Rights C ouncil member it will have much to contribute and share with Member States in our common quest for the promotion of human rights across the world. With that in mind, Mongolia seeks the valuable support of its fellow members. 15-17242 7/7