A groundbreaking memorandum of understanding has been signed this week by a coalition of business and human rights organizations, aiming to address working conditions and eradicate forced labor at all stages of cotton and textile production in Uzbekistan, Sourcing Journal reported. The two-year agreement is a cornerstone of the CIPE-Solidarity Center project, funded by the U.S. Department of Labor, titled "Enhancing Transparency and Accountability in the Cotton Industry of Uzbekistan."
Signatories of the agreement include the Center for International Private Enterprise (CIPE), the Association of Cotton-Textile Clusters of Uzbekistan, the Solidarity Center, and the Uzbekistan Ministry of Employment. The initiative seeks to build on efforts to reform Uzbekistan's cotton supply chain, which faced a decade-plus isolation from major global brands due to concerns about state-imposed modern slavery.
The program comprises an effective worker-led reporting and grievance remedy system, coupled with an education and incentive framework for workers, managers, and employers. The goal is to promote compliance with transparency standards, labor rights, and good corporate governance through tripartite mechanisms and improved dialogue.
"The Solidarity Center looks forward to working with CIPE and the Cluster Association to support [the] development of a cotton industry in Uzbekistan that is recognized and rewarded in the global marketplace for upholding labor standards at the highest levels," Shawna Bader-Blau, Executive Director at the Solidarity Center, expressed optimism about the initiative.
The Solidarity Center, based in Washington, D.C., played a significant role in the Cotton Campaign, a coalition that led the boycott against Uzbek cotton in 2009. The boycott, backed by major brands like Adidas, H&M Group, and Inditex, successfully reduced demand for Uzbek cotton from 50% of the country's exports in 2000 to less than 1% in 2019.
In March 2022, the International Labour Organization declared Uzbekistan "free" of child and forced labor, and the Cotton Campaign subsequently called off the boycott, citing improvements in eliminating systematic child and forced labor from the country's cotton fields. The Uzbek Forum for Human Rights highlighted Uzbekistan's progress in mechanization, increased wages, abolishing state regulation, and effective communication by the central government in prohibiting modern slavery.
Despite these positive developments, concerns linger. Allison Gill, forced labor program director at Global Labor Justice-International Labor Rights, cautioned that the actions taken so far give more of a "yellow light" than a green light. Risks such as a lack of credible monitoring, grievance and remedy mechanisms, restrictions on association, expression, and assembly, and the absence of independent trade unions still need to be addressed.
Last April, Better Cotton suspended one of its Uzbek partners, Indorama Agro, following allegations of human rights abuses by the Uzbek Forum, including "land grabbing" and union busting. The Singapore-headquartered firm has disputed these claims as "flawed, misleading, and biased."
In December, the Uzbek Forum and Human Rights Watch filed a complaint accusing Uzbek authorities of violating internationally protected rights by shutting down a farmers’ cooperative. This move raises concerns about freedom of association and the right to organize, posing a potential setback to Uzbekistan’s agricultural reform agenda.
“We believe that our partnership will support the creation of effective management systems and serves to strengthen social protection, improve labor relations based on international standards, and create decent and safe working conditions for workers,” Abdulwahab Alkebsi, managing director for programs at CIPE, expresses confidence in the plan as the CIPE-Solidarity Center project takes center stage.
Earleir Daryo highlighted that a significant meeting occurred between Uzbekistan's Minister of Agriculture, Ibrokhim Abdurakhmonov, and representatives from the Swiss firm, "Better Cotton Initiative" (BCI). The discussions at the meeting focused on vital aspects concerning the incorporation of BCI's extensive global experience in cotton production to advance the growth of Uzbekistan's cotton industry.
Both parties explored potential avenues for establishing mutual cooperation and devising future programs aimed at training scientists within various research institutes. It's worth noting the global prominence of the "Better Cotton Initiative," an organization established in 2009, presently active in 22 countries worldwide, including Uzbekistan. The initiative actively supports the efforts of more than 2.8 mn farmers globally. Recognizing its international significance, the "Better Cotton Initiative" received official registration in Uzbekistan, with the Ministry of Justice completing the process on May 30, 2023.
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