Uzbekistan Cotton

Issue Summary

Since 2009, reports have suggested that the Uzbekistan cotton industry utilizes child labor in the cotton fields. In October 2011, the European Union Parliament blocked a textile trade deal with Uzbekistan because of the country’s continued use of forced child labor in the cotton industry. The textile deal would have lowered the tariffs on EU imports of Uzbek cotton, which currently represent ¼ of Uzbekistan’s exports.

USA-ITA Position

USA-ITA and many of our member companies have been actively involved in bringing the issue to the attention of the Obama Administration, particularly by signing letters to the U.S. Department of State urging Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and others to bring up the issue in meetings with Uzbek government officials and work toward ending child labor in Uzbekistan.

Advocacy

USA-ITA and member companies have joined the Global Works Foundation, Human Rights Watch, and other organizations in sending letters to the Obama Administration, urging them to bring up the issue in meetings with Uzbek government officials. On September 27, 2011, USA-ITA joined a number of organizations in sending a letter to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton opposing legislation that would provide security assistance to the Uzbekistan government and urging her to address the issue with Uzbekistan Foreign Minister Elyor Ganivev. On October 18, 2011, Michael O. Blake Jr., Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs, sent a letter in response, noting that the State Department supports the work of the coalition to promote human rights in Uzbekistan and that State raises the issue with the Uzbek government “frequently.” The letters, and others, are available below.

United States Association of Importers of Textiles and Apparel

Uzbekistan Cotton

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