A New Beginning in Uzbekistan: 2021 Monitoring of Child Labour and Forced Labour during the Cotton Harvest

Since 2017 Uzbekistan, the world’s sixth largest producer of cotton, has embarked on a historic reform process to move the country up the value chain and replace seasonal agricultural jobs with full-time year-round decent jobs. Uzbekistan is now positioning itself as a major exporter of textile products and ready-made garments instead of raw cotton.

The country has restructured its legacy agricultural system through privatization and liberalization of the cotton sector. The government has also invested significant resources in strengthening the labour inspection and has embarked on a dialogue process with local human rights activists to overcome historic problems with labour rights in this sector. As a result Uzbekistan has achieved remarkable success and managed to modernize the industry and move two million children out of child labour and half a million adults out of forced labour.

But what was the impact of COVID-19 on labour conditions in the 2021 cotton harvest? Has Uzbekistan managed to completely eradicate child labour and forced labour? Should international companies consider Uzbekistan as a responsible sourcing destination for textiles and garments?