As of the population census 2000, 46.6 per cent of the Mongolian population consists of children under 18. Mongolia has joined international legal documents regarding the protection of children's rights. A law on the protection of children's rights was passed in 1996. In the current decade, educational programmes have been implemented which have had substantial effects and improvements for educational services and protection of children's right to education. School age children cover 21 per cent of Mongolia's population.
There are many organisations for children, including Mongolian Scout Union, Mongolian Youth Union, "One World-Adolescents" and Red Cross of Youth, International Children's Camp "Nairamdal" as well as other local organisations. The Children's Book Palace is inaugurated in Ulaanbaatar in May, 2003. The Scout Association of Mongolia is the biggest youth NGO in the country. At the present there are 9000 scout members and more than 56,000 young people have gone through the scout ranks. Over the last eight years about 10000.
Mongolian youths have participated in several international scout activities, such as international camps, Jamborees, Youth Forums, exchange programs and scout gatherings in 22 different countries. Beginning in 2002, a National Programme to Improve Development and Protection of Children is being implemented, which runs until 2002-2010 in three stages.
Youth
