The Advocates for Huaman Rights (The Advocates) traveled to Mongolia this week to release a report on that country’s efforts to combat domestic violence. The report, “Implementation of Mongolia’s Domestic Violence Legislation,” is being presented to Mongolian parliamentarians, Ministry of Justice officials, prosecutors, judges, and the U.S. ambassador to Mongolia and embassy personnel.

Developed by The Advocates and its partner, the National Center Against Violence (NCAV), headquartered in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, the report analyzes the real-life results that followed the Mongolian government’s enactment of the Law to Combat Domestic Violence (LCDV) in 2004. Specifically, it points to challenges obtaining restraining orders; the consequences of domestic violence not being directly addressed by penal legislation; the barriers the country’s Family Law poses to obtaining a divorce; and the results of the lack of shelters and essential social services and support.

The Advocates and NCAV led two fact-finding missions in January and March 2013, traveling to seven cities in Mongolia and conducting 137 interviews, including with ministry officials, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), victims, social workers, police, judges, prosecutors, lawyers, governors, and health care workers.

The NCAV estimates that one in three women in Mongolia was a victim of domestic violence in 2010. This statistic mirrors the United Nations’ finding that as many as 70 percent of women are victims of violence at some point in their lives.