Secretary General of the State Great Hural B.Baasandorj and Deputy Secretary General of the Secretariat of the State Great Hural U.Amarbat conducted a working visit to Orkhon Province. During the visit, they officially inaugurated the Legal Awareness Center under the Provincial Citizens’ Representative Khural and signed a Memorandum of Understanding to formalize cooperation.

The Strategic Plan of the State Great Hural for 2024–2028 includes provisions to improve citizens’ knowledge and education on parliamentary democracy, ensure transparent and accessible information about the activities of the State Great Hural, and enhance communication channels between citizens and their elected representatives through the use of innovative methods and tools. Within this framework, Legal Awareness Centers are being established under the Citizens’ Representative Khurals of all 21 provinces in phases to serve as a bridge between the public and Parliament and to strengthen effective civic engagement.

Supported by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation’s project “Strengthening Parliamentary Democracy in Mongolia,” such centers have already been established in the provinces of Uvurkhangai, Bayankhongor, Darkhan-Uul, Govisumber, and Uvs since 2023. Although a center was previously launched in Orkhon Province, the recent visit formalized its operations and established a legal foundation for cooperation.

During the opening ceremony, Secretary General B.Baasandorj emphasized that under the Constitution, Mongolian citizens have the right to directly participate in state affairs. One of the forms of such participation is through the Legal Awareness Centers established under the Citizens’ Representative Khurals. These centers aim to provide a platform for citizens to contribute to draft laws and legislative proposals, participate in public consultations and discussions, and submit petitions and requests on specific issues—thus enabling broader civic engagement and participatory governance.

He also noted the role of these centers in increasing awareness of parliamentary policies, decisions, and laws among the public, incorporating citizen input into their implementation, and expanding public oversight of Parliament’s activities. During the event, Chairman of the Orkhon Citizens’ Representative Khural D.Munkhbat pledged to ensure the center operates inclusively and effectively, helping disseminate decisions made by the Khural, provide legal education to citizens, and promote equal participation through access to factual information.

To ensure the sustainable operation of the center, Secretary General B.Baasandorj and Chairman D.Munkhbat signed a Memorandum of Understanding outlining the mutual responsibilities and commitments of both parties. Drawing on best practices from other parliamentary democracies, the establishment of accessible Legal Awareness Centers allows citizens to connect with their elected representatives, express their views, and influence policy decisions, thereby reinforcing the foundation of Parliament’s outreach and representational activities, according to the Press Office of the State Great Hural.