The Turkmenistan government, in collaboration with the International Labor Organization (ILO), has unveiled a comprehensive roadmap for 2024-2025. The plan outlines concrete steps aimed at preventing the use of forced labor among both adults and children in the country’s cotton industry.
Key aspects of the roadmap include the implementation of a presidential decree to ensure organized cotton harvesting without resorting to forced or compulsory labor. This decree is expected to introduce stringent prohibitions and penalties against forced mobilization and extortion, setting a precedent for legislative action in the region.
The roadmap also addresses mechanisms for laborers to report coercion or extortion anonymously, thereby protecting them from potential retaliation by officials. Various governmental bodies, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Supreme Court, the Prosecutor General’s Office, the Interior Ministry, the Ministry of Justice, the Ombudsman Institute, and the Ministry of Labor and Social Security, are responsible for developing and enforcing these measures.
“Overall, if the measures in the roadmap are implemented, it will be a big step forward. Although the government has not publicly recognized the problem, such a detailed plan is encouraging,” Ruslan Myatiev, editor of Turkmen.news, expressed cautious optimism about the roadmap.
This initiative marks the first detailed governmental effort to combat forced labor in the cotton industry. A key component of the roadmap is the president’s anticipated public declaration against forced labor, which aims to signal to local leaders and state employees that forced labor practices will no longer be tolerated.
Additionally, the roadmap emphasizes the importance of fair compensation and voluntary participation in cotton picking. It proposes setting a minimum wage for cotton pickers through research and consultation, making the work more attractive and sustainable. The prohibition of child labor, especially for those under 18, is highlighted due to its adverse effects on health and education.
The roadmap mandates that government agencies undertake public awareness campaigns to prevent child labor and mobilization. Furthermore, cotton picking is proposed to be added to the list of work with harmful and dangerous conditions, reinforcing the ban on child labor.
From August to December 2024, the ILO will monitor the cotton harvesting conditions across all regions of Turkmenistan. The ILO’s 2023 study, which excluded the Balkan velayat, revealed signs of forced labor among both adults and children. A comprehensive report on these findings is expected soon.
Uzbekistan's Cotton Sector
Better Cotton's Assurance Programme has influenced Uzbekistan's cotton sector by implementing robust monitoring aligned with International Labour Organization (ILO) principles.
This initiative aimed to eradicate forced and child labor, employing a dual monitoring approach across farms. Through extensive semi-structured interviews with over 1,000 workers on 12 farms, it has provided a detailed understanding of labor practices, going beyond mere compliance to address fair pay, working conditions, and workers' rights comprehensively.
The monitoring process has revealed an absence of systemic forced or child labor and facilitated the prompt resolution of issues like wage delays and safety concerns through direct engagement with farm management. These efforts reflect Better Cotton's commitment to proactive measures and continuous improvement.
Since President Shavkat Mirziyoyev assumed power in 2016, Uzbekistan has witnessed substantial improvements, with reforms leading to the removal of 2 mn children from child labor and 500,000 adults from forced labor over seven years. The 2021 ILO Third-Party Monitoring Report on the Uzbekistan Cotton Harvest further highlights voluntary participation rates of 99% among cotton pickers, alongside remarkable enhancements in working conditions across critical areas like transportation, food, water access, hygiene, and other essential facilities.
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