Payment for cotton harvesting increased from 200 soums to 700–1300 soums per kg in 2015-2018

According to a new report of the International Labor Organization, the government of Uzbekistan did not make resort to systemic child and forced labor during the cotton harvest in 2018.

The reforms announced by the government are yielding results. But there are still many problems at the local level with their implementation. In general, the organization calls the progress of Uzbekistan in this direction historical.

More than 93% of those who participated in cotton picking in 2018 did not do it under duress, the systematic recruitment of students, teachers, doctors and nurses stopped.

However, according to observers, recruitment of staff from government agencies and enterprises is still taking place at the local level. Child labor, which was previously a serious problem at harvesting time, no longer exits.

The wages of cotton pickers were increased in accordance with the recommendations of the ILO and the World Bank. The ILO recommends that the government should continue to increase this pay, as well as carefully consider the working conditions for further involvement of voluntary pickers.

In general, the fee for cotton picking increased from 200 soums per kilogram in 2015 to 700–1300 soums in 2018. At the same time, the use of forced labor is reduced: