GRIEVANCE REDRESSMECHANISM

1. The background, purpose and scope

This document has been developed to ensure the implementation of FAO and WWF project safeguard policies, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the constitution of Mongolia, Mongolian Civil Law, the Anti-corruption law, and other laws regulating processes of filing civil complaints and resolving concerns and/or complaints with both the project and authorized officials. This document aims:

1.1          To create a platform for enabling all stakeholders (national and local governments, local communities, individuals, businesses, organizations, etc.) to freely raise complaints regarding project activities; and

1.2          For the Project management unit (PMU) to receive, register, review, address, resolve and conduct follow-up monitoring for implementation of resolutions in an effective, prompt, and transparent manner. omment

2. Grievance Mechanism Distribution

2.1.      Information regarding the grievance redress mechanism will be  distributed to the various stakeholders including local and provincial authorities, communities and CSOs, through:

2.1.1.    Relevant trainings and public awareness events organized by the project as appropriate;

2.1.2.    Brochures and project newsletters in a simplified format and language;

2.1.3.    FAO/WWF Mongolia webpages; and

2.1.4.    Governments channels including aimag and soum official webpage/Facebook pages and information board as well as local government officers especially Bagh governors and respective soum officers.      

3. Submission of Grievance

3.1.      Stakeholders can submit their grievances either anonymously or named to the National Project manager (NPM). The complaintts can be submitted by the following communication means:

• Written:

ü  Via electronic mail to [email protected] ; and

ü  Official letter to the office of the Eastern Steppe Project, No. 305 of Freshwater Resources and Nature Conservation Center, Zaisan 9, 11^th khoroo, Khan-Uul District, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.

• Verbally :

ü  Call to +976-11-76117670;

ü  In person; and

ü  Through delegation with authorization of the complainant.

3.3.      A complainant shall follow the code of conducts and good social skills when presenting and communicating with a complaint matter. If a complainant submits a false complaint to deliberately accuse, vilify, and abuse one’s reputation and dignity and it has been confirmed during its review or investigation process, he/she will be imposed with the liabilities according to the respective Law(s) of Mongolia and other legislations.

4. Complaint Resolution Process

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4.1.        Receipt and registration of the complaint: The NPM will receive and register grievances whether received in written or verbal formats, directly via  telephone, email, letter, written request, meeting or via the soum coordinator (Appendix).The NPM will ensure the confidentiality of the complainant.

4.2.       Review and investigating the complaint: The PMU GRM committee chaired by the NPM will review the complaint and can request additional documents and materials from the complainant for further clarification. The PMU GRM committee will have a flexible hybrid/mixed membership that consists of permanent members as well as temporary members who will be included in the committee depending on their professional background in relation to the nature of the complaint.

4.3.        Resolve and inform the complainant: The PMU GRM committee shall resolve the complaint within 5 working days after receiving the complaint. The official response by the committee shall be communicated in an appropriate format.

It is prohibited to disclose the complaint information to others without the consent of the complainant, or to inform others of the complainant's information e.g. name, address, employment etcetera. In order to maintain the confidentiality of the information, the response to the complaint will be given only to the complainant personally.

4.4.       Monitor the implementation of the resolution. The PMU GRM committee will monitor whether the resolution and its implementation is duly conducted.

4.5.       Unsatisfied with the resolution: If complainant is not satisfied with the resolution of the PMU GRM Committee, he/she can refer to the GRM of UN FAO and WWF-Mongolia.

• Mr. Vinod Ahuja, FAO Representative in Mongolia through (+976) 11 310248 and email address: [email protected];
• Mr. Batbold Dorjgurkhem, Director of WWF Mongolia Programme Office through +976-11-318447 and e-mail address: [email protected].

Stakeholder may also submit a complaint online through an independent third-party platform at https://secure.ethicspoint.com/domain/media/en/gui/59041/index.html 

The flowchart describing Complaint Resolution Process