It has agreed a $500,000 technical assistance initiative to help civil society organisations implement equality measures throughout the country.

The move will reinforce progress reducing the gender gap that has made the country something of a beacon in the East Asian region whose World Economic Forum Global Gender Gap ranking places it well above more developed rivals such as Singapore.

“This technical assistance is ADB’s third standalone project promoting gender equality in Mongolia that is financed by the government of Japan through the Japan Fund for Poverty Reduction,” said Declan Magee, ADB deputy country director for Mongolia.

“It is closely aligned with one of the key operational priorities of ADB’s Strategy 2030 – to accelerate progress in gender equality.”

The ADB’s technical assistance project will extend its collaboration with civil society groups in Mongolia through focused training and socially inclusive and gender-responsive “learning-by-doing” approaches.

The project will build on previous ADB support to ensure the practical application of existing policy documents on gender equality in the country.

The ADB has actively engaged with the National Committee on Gender Equality of Mongolia since 2009.

This has included providing support for the country to design and adopt a gender equality law, as well as capacity building for effective enforcement of it.

Mongolia has made significant strides in improving equality, and according to some WEF indicators such as the economic participation and opportunities enjoyed by women is on a par with developed countries such as the US.

There are a considerable number of women in parliament and in ministerial positions, and in terms of reducing the WEF’s Health and Survival gender gap – the differences between women’s and men’s health – the country enjoys joint first position globally.