Ulaanbaatar – International Organization for Migration (IOM) Director General Amy Pope concluded her visit to Mongolia by highlighting the interaction between climate change and migration, noting that women and girls are particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. She delivered a speech at the 2024 World Forum for Women and met with Foreign Minister Battsetseg Batmunkh.

The Forum was held under the patronage of President Ukhnaa and organized by the Mongolian Government in partnership with the UN agencies based in Mongolia. The theme of the Forum was “Towards a Green Future” and reaffirmed initiatives to ensure gender equality and women’s rights worldwide.

“The impacts of climate change are clearly felt here. The country’s increasingly harsh winters and increasing desertification are driving migration from rural to urban areas, and women and girls are particularly vulnerable. This is a prime example of what we are seeing around the world: climate change is causing more displacement than any other cause,” said Director-General Pope. “We know that women are powerful agents of change, and that is why we commend Mongolia’s leadership in organizing the World Forum for Women to help world leaders focus on solutions.”

The forum brought together world-leading women, politicians, business leaders and social activists to discuss the role of women leaders in environmental issues, climate change, food security and gender-equal economies. Discussions also focused on empowering women and girls by investing in their education, and gender equality in sport, arts and culture.

Director-General Pope praised the Forum’s focus on migration, pointing out that migration can open up opportunities for women that they may not have had elsewhere. “Despite the increased risks they face, the women and girls I have met around the world possess remarkable strength, determination and dignity. We must do more to help them reach their full potential,” she said.

During her two-day visit, Pope also met migrants supported by IOM’s Assisted Voluntary Return and Reintegration (AVRR) program in a traditional Mongolian eng (yurt) in the UN compound. Many shared their experiences and gave insights into the AVRR program. As one of IOM Mongolia’s core initiatives, the AVRR program has supported the safe and dignified return of over 9,000 vulnerable Mongolian migrants from 37 countries since 2011. Of these, 4,000 people received additional reintegration assistance to secure their livelihoods after their return.

During the meeting, Director-General Pope reiterated IOM’s commitment to supporting the safe return and reintegration of migrants and stressed the importance of listening to people’s experiences to ensure that IOM’s programmes are effective and meet their needs.

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For further information please contact:

In Mongolia: Mongoljin Enkhtuvshin, [email protected]

In Bangkok: Itayi Viriri, [email protected]

In Geneva: Daniela Rovina: [email protected]