Improving Citizen Participation and Feedback in Your Bagh: AManual on Town Halls
8
Decentralization has continued to play an important role
in Mongolia’s reform agenda. The New Budget law (NBL)
of 2011 provides a path of decentralization, which requires
that bagh level officials conduct constituent outreach via
public forums and town hall meetings and pass on public
feedback to soum and aimag level officials.
Bagh elected officials have a responsibility to elicit pub-
lic input and articulate citizen demands to higher levels of
government in order to advocate on behalf of their constitu-
ents.
Specifically, this information should inform the annu-
al budget planning process by the Citizen Representative
Khural (CRK), subnational legislatures, at the aimag and
soum levels. In addition, bagh representatives can utilize
this information to inform the use of Local Development
Funds, also known as Soum Development Funds, which are
separate from annual budgets.
Furthermore, the Citizen Hall Initiative, started in 2009
by President Elbegdorj, provides one mechanism for citi-
zen participation and engagement with politicians and poli-
cy-makers that can be utilized by bagh government officials.
Bagh representatives are currently expected to conduct town
halls on a quarterly basis, but may want to hold public fo-
rums more frequently. Depending on the local context and
needs, informal town hall meetings can be held every few
weeks to continue to listen along with providing feedback
on how citizens’ views are being advocated for at higher
levels of government.
Why should government officials consider holding more
frequent public forums? As part of a comprehensive constit-
uent engagement strategy, public forums can:
• Create a link between government and citizens
