By Bulgan Batdorj
Mongolia’s 8th parliamentary election held on June 24, 2020. Despite the concerns over coronavirus pandemic, the voter turnout reached 68 percent. The election result shows 13 women out of 76 seats – the exact same number of women parliamentarians in the 2016 election.
Women parliamentarians from the ruling Mongolian People’s Party are Davaajantsan Sarangerel, Khurelbaatar Bulgantuya, Baljinnyam Bayarsaikhan, Gompildoo Munkhtsetseg, Tserenjamts Munkhtsetseg, Chinbat Undram, Damdinsuren Unurbolor, Batsukh Saranchimeg, Munkhuu Oyunchimeg, Badarch Jargalmaa, Purev-Ochir Anujin and from the opposition Democratic Party, Saldan Odontuya and Amgalan Adiyasuren.
Out of the 13 women parliamentarians, four are reelected and S Odontuya had been an MP in 2012-2016. These numbers bring the total number of women parliamentarian to 44 and total number of seats to 63 in the past 28 years of democracy in Mongolia.
| Election year | Female MPs |
| 1992 | 3 |
| 1996 | 7 |
| 2000 | 8 |
| 2004 | 5 |
| 2008 | 3 |
| 2012 | 11 |
| 2016 | 13 |
| 2020 | 13 |
| Total | 63 |
The average age of the incoming women MPs is 47, the youngest member is Ch Undram who is 37 years old while the oldest is S Odontuya.
Constituencies: 29 constituencies and 76 mandates, 8 of these women are elected from the capital city, and 5 are elected from rural districts.
| Party | Surname | Given name | Constituencies |
| MPP | Davaajantsan | Sarangerel | Khan-Uul District, Ulaanbaatar |
| MPP | Khurelbaatar | Bulgantuya | Bayanzurkh District, Ulaanbaatar |
| MPP | Baljinnyam | Bayarsaikhan | Zavkhan |
| MPP | Gompildoo | Munkhtsetseg | Dundgobi |
| MPP | Tserenjamts | Munkhtsetseg | Sukhbaatar District, Ulaanbaatar |
| MPP | Chinbat | Undram | Selenge |
| MPP | Damdinsuren | Unurbolor | Selenge |
| MPP | Batsukh | Saranchimeg | Bayanzurkh District, Ulaanbaatar |
| MPP | Munkhuu | Oyunchimeg | Chingeltei District, Ulaanbaatar |
| MPP | Badarch | Jargalmaa | Songinokhairkhan District, Ulaanbaatar |
| MPP | Purev-Ochir | Anujin | Songinokhairkhan District, Ulaanbaatar |
| DP | Saldan | Odoltuya | Bayangol District, Ulaanbaatar |
| DP | Amgalan | Adiyasuren | Bayankhongor |
In this election, 54.5% of the voters were women which is not unusual based on our previous knowledge. This year, the number of female candidates were 151 out of 606 candidates, making 24.9% – a slight reduction compared to the last election, where we had 25.9% of the candidates were women.
Gender quotas of 20% of candidates in the last three elections have helped the number to increase from single digit (2008 3 female MPs to 11 female MPs in 2012) to double-digit. Despite the less favourable electoral system of block voting, the number of women parliamentarians has not declined, somehow gives me hope that it is time to increase that gender quota to a higher percentage.
Another area of excitement I had around the election was the DEMOS party. This party had 75% of their 28 candidates women and the whole platform was on issues of women, gender equality, and mother and children. Although the party did not win any seats (most candidates came in last or the last two spots) it is important to have gender equality in political representation.
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