U.S. Department of Labor: systematic mobilization of children for the cotton harvest ended in Uzbekistan

The US Department of Labor, after nine years, removed Uzbek cotton from the list of goods produced by child labor, the Foreign Ministry of Uzbekistan said on Friday.

“For the first time since 2009, the US Department has excluded cotton produced in Uzbekistan from the list of goods produced by child labor,” the Ministry’s statement reads.

“The US Department, referring to the results of the ILO monitoring, monitoring of government and independent human rights activists, notes the complete cessation of the systematic mobilization of children for the cotton harvest” the Uzbek Foreign Ministry added.

The MFA of Uzbekistan stated that earlier the US State Department published its own report on the situation with human trafficking for 2017, in which Uzbekistan was moved from the third category to the second for significant progress in the elimination of child and forced labor.

Annually Uzbekistan produces about 3.5 million tons of raw cotton and 1-1.2 million tons of cotton fiber. About 40% of the cotton fiber produced is exported.

It should be reminded that in February, 2018, the International Labor Organization (ILO) said that Uzbekistan stopped systematic mobilization of children for the cotton harvest, but the organization stated they would continue monitoring the situation in the republic.

In September 2017, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev promised to end child and forced labor in Uzbekistan and reaffirmed the government's commitment to cooperation with the ILO.