On 31 March 2026, the International Labour Organization (ILO) held a progress review meeting with Mongolia’s National Statistics Office (NSO) to advance efforts under the Formalization of the Informal Economy Project. The initiative builds on an e‑formalization assessment conducted in 2024, which explored the possibility of creating a national database of self‑employed workers by using data exchange protocols within the government’s existing information systems.
Following the assessment, the NSO has consolidated relevant data from selected government institutions with ILO support. The next step involves setting up and testing data integration and ETL workflows to ensure the database can be regularly updated and maintained.
Sh. Ariunbold, Director General of the Census and Data Analysis Department at NSO, noted that the activities of self‑employed workers are highly dependent on economic conditions and difficult to measure. He emphasized that the pilot consolidated database, which will include permit and license records where available, will provide valuable statistical and analytical outputs for researchers and policymakers.
The initiative is expected to pave the way for new joint efforts to design inclusive and resilient digital solutions. By leveraging data, automation, and government frameworks, Mongolia aims to tackle informality more effectively and strengthen protections for self‑employed workers across the country.
