US Clothing Calls For Uzbek To End Forced Child Labor

A coalition of four representatives of the American Apparel and retail trade association has handed over to the Uzbek ambassador to Washington, D.C., a letter signed to the president Islam Abduganievich Karimov, calling for decisive and immediate measures to terminate the use of forced child labour in cotton fields.

According to published reports, Uzbek, the world's third largest cotton exporter, is suspected of allowing children to be harvested at 10-15 years of age to harvest cotton.

* the relevant associations have been alerted by the recent reports that the Uzbek government has directly coordinated the forced employment of child labour to harvest cotton.

In the letter, the associations indicated that their member companies had adhered to the promise of state procurement to respect human rights and labor rights, and this commitment was also set in the terms of their suppliers' behavior.

Cotton is an important industry in Uzbek, accounting for 20% of the country's exports, accounting for more than 15% of its total domestic production (GDP).

The union reminds the president of Uzbek that more and more enterprises and retail brands in North America and Europe have taken measures to prevent the use of Uzbek cotton production, the main reason for which is the shocking child abuse of cotton harvested in the country. If the situation is not immediately improved, more and more enterprises will follow up, which will be a great blow to the Uzbek economy.

The four major associations that comprise the alliance include the American Apparel and Footwear Association (AAFA), the National Retail Association (NRF), the retail industry leaders Association (RILA), and the American textile and apparel importers association (USA-ITA). These associations represent more than 90% of US cotton flower purchases and cotton products.