Table 1 Interventions aimed at facilitating better coverage of health in EIA practice in the Mongolian Extractives Sector, 2009–2015

International Conference Awareness raising / sensitization

Canadian and Mongolian researchers, representatives of the mining industry, public health scientists, and Mongolian policymakers

Health impacts of mining activities

To assess the current state of knowledge about mining impacts in Mongolia, identify research and policy gaps, and to develop a strategy for addressing these gaps.

International conference in Ulaanbaatar [19]

Established framework for moving forward with a mining and health knowledge translation/mobilization agenda.

2009

KT-1 Technical support to develop specific tools and methods

Canadian and Mongolian researchers, representatives of the mining industry, public health scientists, and government policymakers

Addressing issues of health equity in the extractives sector.

To develop consensus on a methodology and tools for implementing a social determinants of health and equity-focused health impact assessment that would be relevant to Mongolian communities.

To provide evidence-based support for and encourage ongoing efforts to strengthen the regulatory environment surrounding impact assessments.

Organized and met with intersectoral working group; held two day intensive retreat focusing on health equity within HIAs; project team visited communites to scope health impacts of mining [20, 22]

Awareness of utility of equity-focused HIAs in the extractives sector; development of introductory equity-in-HIA tool; targeted technical support for the development of tool and supporting materials; training and capacity building activities to support the use of the tool; awareness of need to address health consequences of mining among key stakeholders.

2010

WHO-1

Awareness raising/sensiti-zation

Representatives of multiple government ministries and academic institutions

Introduction to health impact assessment (HIA)

To raise overall awareness, in particular among health actors, of basic concepts and methods used in HIA.

Stakeholder consultations (to inform development of training materials); conduct of a training workshop on HIA methods [5]

Increased awareness of HIA concepts and methods.

2011

KT-2

Training/ capacity building on use of specific HIA tools, development of a mining and health strategy within the Mongolia Ministry of Health

Canadian and Mongolian researchers, representatives of the mining industry, public health scientists, and government policymakers

Health equity impact assessment tools and methods; health impact assessment as a key component of a mining and health strategy.

To continue to build capacity to support the use of equity-focused HIA methods in the extractives sector.

Continued meeting with intersectoral working group from KT-1 project; targeted technical support for the development of HIA methods and processes; continued awareness raising among key stakeholders [15, 20]

Expanded awareness of HIA as a key element of a mining and health strategy; support for changes to the EIA law; established cross-ministry working group on HIA.

2011–12

WHO-2

Awareness raising /sensitization, training/capacity building

Representatives from the Ministry of Environment (at both central and provincial levels) responsible for regulating the EIA process, and their MOH counterparts.

Health in the environmental impact assessment process

To sensitize EIA regulators and their health sector counterparts about where (as in at what points in the process) health issues could be better addressed in Mongolia’s EIA process.

Training workshop and provision of targeted technical support to develop guidance how to include health at different points in Mongolia’s EIA system [2]

Increased capacity to apply health impact assessment methods within the EIA process; support for new EIA law.

2014

HIA-LDP

Training/ capacity building on use of specific tools and methods

Representatives of multiple government offices responsible for health, environment,mining, justice, food & agriculture; local officials, academics from the Medical University, civil society organizations, international participants from South Korea, Canada, Zambia, and Tanzania

Tools and methods to address health in EIA

To build capacity of key EIA actors across sectors to address health issues associated with extractive industries activities.

8-day intensive learning program focused on building institutional capacity to review, manage, and regulate health in EIA processes [21]

Increased institutional capacity to apply health impact assessment methods within the EIA process; developed networks of HIA “experts” in different institutions; support of the new hygiene law.

2015