Labour market governance refers to the totality of policies, norms, laws, regulations, institutions, machinery and processes that influence the demand and supply of labour. Improving labour market governance implies reviewing the various elements of labour market governance to ensure that the outcomes they produce are efficient, fair and equitable.

There are four key aspects of the ILO’s work in this priority area:

• Labour market reforms
• Industrial relations
• Labour administration
• Social dialogue

It is important to note that labour market governance is not just about the government or the state. The respective capacities and relations between those who demand labour (employers) and those who supply labour (workers) must be considered as integral aspects of labour market governance. Thus, a range of factors – including the regulatory framework, efficacy of the labour administration system, operation of various bipartite and tripartite institutions, the capacity and role of representative employers’ and workers’ organizations and current industrial relations norms and practices – all combine significantly to influence the dynamics of the labour market.

As part of the ADWD resource kit, please download the booklet “Labour Market Governance in Asia and the Pacific”. The booklet serves as a gateway into ILO expertise and knowledge within this regional priority area. It briefly discusses key challenges for the Asian region, and - in the electronic version – links directly to key resources, good practices and related projects.

For further questions please contact the ILO Regional office at bangkok@ilo.org