The booth on social and solidarity economy at the World SME Day Expo 2023 explored ways to improve understanding of the social and solidarity economy in Mongolia, to strengthen its contribution to sustainable development in line with the country’s long-term development policy.

In celebration of World Small and Medium Enterprises Day 2023, the Development Solutions NGO, national consultant for the Strengthening Social and Solidarity Economy (SSE) project, engaged with the national advisory committee members and other stakeholders on Mongolia's social and solidarity economy on 27 June 2023.

Bat-Orshikh Erdenebat, Chief Advisor at Development Solutions NGO and lead consultant, informed participants that the project builds on the Resolution Concerning Decent Work and the Social and Solidarity Economy adopted at the 110th International Labour Conference in June 2022 and UN Resolution on Promoting Social and Solidarity Economy for Sustainable Development >.

Participants discussed the importance of involving government officials in the national advisory committee to further raise awareness and strengthen the SSE. They noted that there is a lack of awareness of the term “social and solidarity economy” and that not all types of SSE entities exist in Mongolia.

The representative of the Mongolian Employers’ Federation called for a working definition of the social and solidarity economy in Mongolian while maintaining its principles and values.

He remarked, “The new resolution on social and solidarity economy needs to be adapted into Mongolian laws and regulations accordingly.”

National consultant exchanges with the Director of ILO Country Office for China and Mongolia

Staff from Development Solutions NGO disseminated preliminary research findings based on the self-assessment survey of 156 SSE entities. Case studies on selected SSE entities from the rural provinces revealed the challenges and opportunities facing the social and solidarity economy in Mongolia.

National consultant explains the SSE to participants

The second phase of the Strengthening the Social and Solidarity Economy in Asia Project, funded by the Ministry of Employment and Labor of the Republic of Korea, aims to contribute to strengthened awareness of the SSE’s contribution to decent work and sustainable development and create policy dialogue in five countries in Asia and the Pacific - Cambodia, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Thailand, Vietnam. Mongolia supported the adoption of the UN resolution on SSE and sustainable development.

ILO topic portal on Social and Solidarity Economy