IOM, in cooperation with UN partners including UNICEF, is to launch an Emergency Displacement Assessment to investigate the situation of thousands of rural Mongolian families forced to migrate from their homes to the capital Ulaanbaatar by one of the coldest winters on record.

The extreme winter conditions, known locally as a "Dzud," resulted in the death of a quarter of the country's livestock. Over 11 million animals were unable to find fodder through the snow cover and either froze or starved to death.

The assessment will form the basis for any new initiatives for mid to long term assistance to meet the needs of the most vulnerable rural migrants – mainly women, the elderly and children. 

"There have been significant influxes of rural migrants to Ulaanbaatar in the past decade, but the 'Dzud' has resulted in a huge increase. We need to get a clearer picture of the strain this is putting on the urban center, infrastructure and key services, including shelter, health and education," says Bruce Reed, IOM's Regional Representative for East Asia.

The investigation will rely on assessment tools developed by IOM to collect targeted data on displaced populations following major emergencies. Previously used in Haiti, Iraq, Pakistan and the Philippines, they identify service delivery gaps in life-saving areas including shelter, disease control, water and sanitation.

Preparations for the assessment, which will last one month, will begin in Ulaanbaatar next week. 

IOM's participation in the exercise will be funded by the IOM Emergency Preparedness Account or EPA, which provides initial
start-up funds to IOM emergency response teams.

For further details, please contact:

Chris Hoffman
IOM Manila
Tel. +63 2 848 1260 Ext 122
E-mail: choffman@iom.int