Mongolian men, women, and children were found in these conditions in China, Macau, Malaysia, South Korea, and Hong Kong.
There remained concerns about involuntary child labor in the Mongolian construction, mining, and industrial sectors, where children were vulnerable to injury and face severe health hazards.
The problem of Mongolian women subjected to conditions of involuntary servitude after engaging in brokered marriages - mainly to South Korean men - continued.
Anecdotal reports continued to indicate that South Korean and Japanese tourists engaged in child sex tourism in Mongolia.
[1] During the year, the first ever documented case of Mongolia as a destination country involved two Filipina women who became victims of involuntary domestic servitude in the homes of wealthy Mongolian families after responding to online advertisements for work.
The government's lack of adequate guidance on the use of the country's amended anti-trafficking article of law continues to cause courts to charge trafficking offenders under a lesser offense, resulting in shorter sentences.
[6][7] They have been raped and physically and psychologically harmed in brothels, homes, businesses, and other locations throughout the country, notably at the China-Mongolia border.
In spite of significant legal and technical assistance from foreign donors, Mongolia's Supreme Court has interpreted the amended Article 113 in a way that has created ambiguities as to when prosecutors and judges should apply the law.
The Supreme Court's interpretation continues to confuse judicial officials, causing trafficking offenders to be prosecuted under the lesser offense of forced prostitution (Article 124).
[1] During the reporting period, the government referred 18 victims to an NGO shelter, run by the Mongolian Gender Equality Center.
[1] The Government of Mongolia continued modest trafficking prevention activities through partnerships with NGOs, international organizations, and foreign donors.
Officials continued the distribution of NGO-sponsored passport and train ticket inserts on the dangers of trafficking and resources available for victims to some Mongolians traveling abroad.