Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia has launched a targeted capacity-building initiative aimed at strengthening labour inspection systems for domestic workers and assistant herders, two of the country’s most vulnerable worker groups. The training was organized under the International Labour Organization (ILO) Formalization of the Informal Economy Project in collaboration with Mongolia’s Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Protection.
The two-day workshop, held from 20 to 21 May 2026, brought together 66 state labour inspectors from 30 provinces and districts. It marked the first specialized training of its kind since Mongolia’s revised Labour Law in 2021 formally recognized employment contracts and expanded legal protections for domestic workers and assistant herders.
The programme focused on improving enforcement capacity through ILO training modules on vulnerable workers and labour inspection in domestic work. Participants examined practical challenges in enforcing labour standards in informal and remote working environments, where long working hours, unsafe conditions and limited access to social protection remain common concerns.
ILO representatives emphasized the importance of strong local-level inspection systems to ensure that labour rights reach workers in practice, not just in legislation. Officials from Mongolia’s labour ministry highlighted ongoing challenges in addressing informality and improving compliance across dispersed rural sectors.
The training also included guidance on international labour standards, including the Domestic Workers Convention, 2011 (No. 189), which sets global benchmarks for protecting domestic workers’ rights and working conditions.
By the end of the workshop, inspectors had developed improved tools and strategies for field enforcement, marking a step forward in strengthening Mongolia’s labour inspection system and advancing decent work standards in the informal economy.
