GENEVA – The enactment of the Law on Personal Data Protection in Mongolia is a step in the right direction and comprehensively updates the legal framework in which privacy and data protection are safeguarded, a UN expert said today, while urging further amendments to its enforcement mechanism.
“I encourage the Government to close the digital divide in its population, specifically with vulnerable groups, to increase awareness. There are many challenges ahead and a lot of work to be done but a key element, the political will, is present,” said Ana Brian Nougrères, UN Special Rapporteur on the right to privacy in a statement, after a seven-day visit to the country.
“The Government has prioritised digitalisation and a move towards an e-based society but acknowledges there are challenges and limited financial resources,” she said. “There is an urgent need for a corresponding shift in the mindset of the people so they view the right to privacy as a fundamental human right.”
The Special Rapporteur examined privacy issues in relation to personal data protection, including health data, cybersecurity, surveillance, oversight mechanisms and remedies, new and emerging technologies and privacy concerns of vulnerable groups.
Mongolia is facing a real challenge to effectively respond to cybersecurity attacks and needs to develop more robust safeguards.
“Technological innovation is important but it must be embraced using a human rights-based approach, putting individuals at the centre of all technological advancements, to mitigate the risks and elevate digital literacy so citizens can better safeguard their right to privacy,” the expert said.
The expert stressed the importance of awareness, education, transparency, multi-stakeholder cooperation, harmonisation and standardisation at the international level, and believes the Government is motivated to rise to this challenge.
The Special Rapporteur met with officials, national institutions, civil society, academics, business leaders and the UN Country Team in Ulaanbaatar and Nalaikh.
She will submit her report on the visit to the UN Human Rights Council in March 2026.
Dr. Ana Brian Nougrères is the Special Rapporteur on the right to privacy.
The Special Rapporteurs are part of what is known as the Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council.
Special Rapporteurs/Independent Experts/Working Groups are independent human rights experts appointed by the United Nations Human Rights Council. Together, these experts are referred to as the Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council. Special Procedures experts work on a voluntary basis; they are not UN staff and do not receive a salary for their work. While the UN Human Rights office acts as the secretariat for Special Procedures, the experts serve in their individual capacity and are independent from any government or organization, including OHCHR and the UN. Any views or opinions presented are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the UN or OHCHR. Country-specific observations and recommendations by the UN human rights mechanisms, including the special procedures, the treaty bodies and the Universal Periodic Review, can be found on the Universal Human Rights Index https://uhri.ohchr.org/en/

Published Date:2025-04-15