Uzbekistan urges Cotton Campaign to end cotton boycott

20 Apr '20

2 min read

Pic: Shutterstock

Uzbek minister of employment and labour relations Nozim Khusanov recently issued an open letter to Cotton Campaign, a coalition of human rights, labour and business organisations, requesting its members to lift a global boycott on Uzbek cotton initiated in 2006 due to traditional reliance on forced and child labour in the Uzbek cotton industry.

Over 300 global brands and retailers have signed a pledge not to source Uzbek cotton, hampering export growth and the development of the country’s textile industry.

The boycott needs to be lifted in light of demonstrable progress in protecting human rights and social welfare in Uzbekistan, Khusanov said. Lifting of the cotton boycott is one of the few measures that could quickly generate much-needed jobs and support the economic wellbeing of Uzbeks during the COVID-19 crisis, according to a press release from the ministry.

Textile production alone employs 200,000 workers in Uzbekistan; their wages support the livelihoods of a million people.

The ministry estimates 1.5 million Uzbeks are currently unemployed and 200,000 are expected to fall below the poverty line because of a lockdown.

Khusanov also invited the Cotton Campaign to ‘continue to work collaboratively’ with the Uzbek government to enter a ‘new chapter of reform’.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DS)

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