A/HRC/43/45/Add.2 challenges.28 Specific areas have suffered further from the lack of funding, with important consequences on human rights. For example, although the 2018 family planning supplies budget amounted to 1.8 billion tugriks, a budget reduction between 2010 and 2017 resulted in a considerable increase in the rate of abortions due to the inability of the public health sector to match the population’s demands and needs in family planning supplies.29 22. A study established that out-of-pocket payments for health care constituted 41 per cent of the total health expenditure in 2011, 30 and, according to WHO figures, remained unchanged for 2014. The same study found that catastrophic health expenditures were experienced by approximately 5.5 per cent of households, and that approximately 20,000 people were forced into poverty as a result of paying for health care.31 The Independent Expert is particularly concerned about the potential additional financial burden on households when facing unexpected, non-covered or poor-quality medical treatment and having to resort to out-of-pocket expenditures to fulfil their right to health.32 23. States should demonstrate that every effort has been made to mobilize all available resources, even in times of economic crisis. In particular, States must generate, adequately allocate and make use of the maximum of their available resources to move as expeditiously and effectively as possible towards the achievement of the full realization of economic, social and cultural rights.33 24. The Independent Expert notes the commitment of Mongolia to diversifying its economy while increasing competitiveness,34 and encourages the State to deploy additional efforts on the matter. He encourages Mongolia to take concrete steps to implement the industrial policy adopted in 2015 and ensure policy coherence. While industrial policy should include investment in research, technology and innovation,35 only a very small share of the State’s GDP is currently invested in research, technology and innovation, the figure standing, for instance, at only 0.1 per cent of GDP in 2017.36 25. Over recent years, the Government has implemented important economic reforms. A number of these reforms were recommended by IMF with the aim of restoring macroeconomic stability and fiscal discipline. Orthodox monetary policies normally imply a negative effect on human rights.37 Yet human rights impact assessments of the reforms have not been common practice in the State, either in the judiciary or in the executive branch. 26. In March 2019 the guiding principles on human rights impact assessments of economic reforms (A/HRC/40/57) were presented to the Human Rights Council.38 From a general standpoint, the guiding principles can help address various issues, including the conformity of policies with human rights standards and the potential repercussions of economic reforms on the human rights of the population or of certain groups (see principle 11). 27. In this regard, the 2016 Law on Legislation is an interesting tool, as it already provides for economic, social and regulatory impact assessment of policy reforms. However, the 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 6 WHO, “Mongolia – WHO country cooperation strategy 2017–2021” (Manila, 2017), p. 4. See United Nations Population Fund, Situation Analysis of Family Planning in Mongolia (Ulaanbaatar, 2016), p. v. Javkhlanbayar Dorjdagva and others, “Catastrophic health expenditure and impoverishment in Mongolia”, International Journal for Equity in Health, vol. 15, article No. 105 (2016), p. 1. Ibid. See A/HRC/43/45. Guiding principles (A/HRC/40/57), principle 9. Government of Mongolia, letter of intent, 13 April 2017, in IMF, Mongolia: 2017 Article IV Consultation and Request for an Extended Arrangement under the Extended Fund Facility – Press Release, Staff Report and Statement by the Executive Director for Mongolia (Washington, D.C., 2017), p. 51. See Trade and Development Report, 2016 (United Nations publication, Sales No. E.16.II.D.5). UNDP, “Mongolia: human development indicators”, Human Development Reports. Available at http://hdr.undp.org/en/countries/profiles/MNG (accessed 30 December 2019). See A/74/178. See Council resolution 40/8.