Labour administration and inspection (Labour administration and inspection)

Labour inspection in a sweatshop in Brazil

Labour inspection is a key element of any labour administration system for enduring the implementation of labour policies, providing feedback and allowing for a readjustment of these policies as necessary. In recent years, the importance of labour inspection in promoting decent work has been widely recognized. Yet in many countries, the changing world of work with its new employment patterns has been accompanied by reduced government interventions in the workplace. Even where there is a general agreement on the benefits of labour inspection, the real impact of labour inspectors has often been limited, especially among vulnerable or hard-to-reach groups and in the large informal economy. The ILO is working to strenghten labour inspection systems with a view to ensuring labour law compliance through the promotion of relevant international labour standards, and technical advisory services and projects.

News

Press release

ILO supports Indonesia’s joint labour inspection in the fishing sector to prevent forced labour at sea

05 July 2023

The ILO through its 8.7 Accelerator Lab programme has supported Indonesia to improve working conditions of fishers and prevent forced labour through the establishment of joint labour inspection system and strengthened coordination between labour and fisheries inspectors.
Our impact, their voices

An Indonesian student warns her community of the risks of forced labour at sea

28 June 2023

The communications trainings of the ILO’s 8.7 Accelerator Lab programme have inspired a 20-year-old communications student to campaign about labour rights of fishers in her fishing community to break the longstanding myth about working at sea.
Article

Effective Labour Inspectorate Regime; an Avenue to Decent Employment in Kenya

19 June 2023

The rights of employees, prevention of abuses at workplaces, and the promotion of economic and social development are some of the positive results of effective labour inspection. In Kenya, labour inspection helps in the achievement of a successful labour market because, through it, labour law violations are minimized.