The purpose of the assessment was to provide an overview of the principles that government agencies apply to ensure environmental protection with regard to mining activities. These principles include both legally mandated roles and their implementation in practice.  

Through the project, IRIM supported two government agencies—namely the Ministry of Environment and Tourism and the General Agency for Specialized Inspection—to undertake self-assessments of their enforcement of the mining sector’s environmental regulatory framework. IRIM used an assessment methodology developed by the UNDP. This methodology analyzes the level of respect for rule of law principles in public administration along 6 dimensions: legality, accessibility, right to be heard, right to appeal, transparency and accountability.  

We collected data using various methods including formal mapping, an agency staff survey and a user survey at local and national levels. Data was collected in Arkhangai, Umnugobi and Ulaanbaatar. A total of 145 public staff and 150 users are included in the survey.  

During the course of the assignment we: 

• submitted an inception report  

• adapted the assessment methodology and assessment tools  

• translated the assessment tools 

• conducted a pilot survey and revised the assessment tools 

• submitted a report with formal mapping of the sector  

• submitted brief progress reports (agency staff survey stage and users’ survey stage)  

• performed data analysis 

• revised and submitted the final report in Mongolian 

• translated the Mongolian report into English and submitted an English version of the report 

• disseminated the assessment results among stakeholders 

• distributed the final report in English and Mongolian (300 copies in each language).