Extending social protection coverage among Mongolian herders: Closing the social protection coverage gap for Mongolian herders

In 2020, the social insurance coverage rate for herders was 16.4 per cent, and health insurance coverage was only 25.1 per cent, although mandatory. Social and health protection coverage are crucial to ensure healthy and secure livelihoods for herders and their families and to maintain their productive and symbolic role in the Mongolian society. The existing legal framework characterises working-age herders as self-employed individuals, accommodating them in the voluntary social insurance scheme. In contrast, health insurance contributions are mandatory for all in Mongolia. The social insurance scheme provides long and short-term benefits and covers occupational hazards. Health insurance offers outpatient services, hospitalisation, and the co-payment of medicines and certain therapies. These low rates highlight the challenges the Mongolian social protection system faces in extending coverage, and calls for an urgent revision of the current provisions to close the gaps in social protection for herders.