Short Summary: To study economic transition in Mongolia, the authors of this article introduce a macro-economic model that incorporates both the productive and reproductive economies thereby making it possible to link economic objectives with social development ones. Including the reproductive economy is essential to fill the missing gap created by traditional economic theories that do not take into account the human resource dimension of structural adjustment policies. The reproductive economy is crucial to this equation since it supplies labour (human resources) to the productive economy and transmits community values and social cohesion. The authors then compare the gendered impact of economic transition in countries in Eastern Europe and Central Asia with that taking place in Mongolia. While Asian centrally planned economies have adopted a gradual approach to economic transition, Mongolia has witnessed abrupt economic shocks and transition. The resulting social costs have been unevenly borne by different groups in Mongolia's population and social inequality is growing. Mongolian women, especially in rural and nomadic areas, are bearing the brunt of structural adjustment policies through increased productive and reproductive workloads.

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