Labour administration and labour inspection have enjoyed an increasingly high profile in recent years, both nationally and internationally. Much of the increased interest is from governments as the labour administration in a globalized world became a key actor in the elaboration and implementation of government’s economic and social policies.

Labour administration is a major source of information in its fields of competence for government, employers and workers; it is an active intermediary in the prevention and settlement of labour disputes; it is an informed observer of the trends in society by virtue of its special links with the social partners; it is a provider of effective solutions to the evolving needs of its users; it bears responsibility for an increasing part of public expenditure. Yet employers and workers are also calling for better resources for Ministries of Labour and inspectorates, to promote fairness and a 'level playing field', and to make Decent Work a reality.

The ILO Labour Administration, Labour Inspection and Occupational Safety and Health Branch (LABADMIN/OSH) aims at assisting constituents in promoting Decent Work through the strengthening of labour administration machinery, including labour inspection, and making them more effective. The 2008 ILO Declaration of Social Justice for a Fair Globalization has reaffirmed the need to "strengthen the ILO's capacity to assist its members’ efforts to reach the ILO's objectives in the context of globalization… and of promoting social dialogue and tripartism as the most appropriate methods for (among other)… the building of effective labour inspection systems."