Uzbekistan invited Cotton Campaign for direct cooperation during the monitoring of the cotton campaign this year, the Ministry of Employment and Labor Relations said.
“Stepping up the development of the textile sector, which has great prospects to become one of the leading sectors of employment in Uzbekistan, will help create many jobs. But this will not be possible without the support of international organizations, the textile market and business. In this regard, this year it is planned to enhance field work by conducting trainings on the unacceptability of forced labor for inspectors and their assistants, employers, mayors, farmers and cotton-textile cluster workers with the involvement of national and international ILO experts, ” the ministry noted.
In addition, liability for forced labor will be harshened, for which judges, prosecutors and lawyers will be trained on these issues.
“Any form of forced labor has serious negative consequences for the development of Uzbekistan’s cotton and textile industry and affects the country's reputation. Over the past 4 years, the number of cases of forced labor in the cotton picking season has decreased by 4 times - from 448 thousand people in 2015 to 102 thousand people in 2019. The Government of Uzbekistan continues a consistent policy to ensure decent work conditions throughout the country,” said First Deputy Minister of Employment and Labor Relations Erkin Mukhitdinov.
