Last Updated: January 12, 2011
This document is a compilation of key media reports highlighting forced child labor in Uzbekistan’s cotton industry and the campaign efforts to eliminate these abuses.
Here are some general sources that frequently post relevant articles and media coverage:
- ILRF Cotton Press Section: http://laborrights.org/news-archives?term=2035
- EurasiaNet Uzbekistan Coverage: http://www.eurasianet.org/taxonomy/term/1723
- Uzbek-German Forum for Human Rights News Section: http://www.uzbekgermanforum.org/news/human_rights_in_uzbekistan
- Ferghana News: http://enews.fergananews.com/
- The campaign has also been covered frequently on Change.org: http://www.change.org/my_change/search?Search=Search&global_keyword=uzbekistan
2007
- “Pubcast: Uzbekistan cotton – in a store near you?”, Ethical Corporation (Oct. 24, 2007): http://www.ethicalcorp.com/content.asp?ContentID=5464
- “Kids in the Cotton Fields,” BBC News (Oct. 30, 2007): http://news.bbc.co.uk/player/nol/newsid_7060000/newsid_7069300/7069310.stm?bw=nb&mp=wm&news=1
2008
- “Call to Boycott Slave Children Cotton,” Inter Press Service (Jan. 4, 2008): http://ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=40679
- “Tesco to Ban Uzbek Cotton,” EcoTextile News (Jan. 15, 2008): http://www.ecotextile.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=732:tesco-to-ban-uzbek-cotton&catid=110:fashion-retail-premium&Itemid=32
- “Uzbekistan Ratified the Minimum Age Convention,” Ferghana News (April 8, 2008): http://enews.fergananews.com/news.php?id=231&mode=snews
- “Central Asia: Child Labor Alive and Thriving,” Radio Free Europe (June 12, 2008): http://laborrights.org/stop-child-labor/cotton-campaign/news/11551
- “Forced Child Labor in Cotton Fields of Uzbekistan,” New York Times (ILRF Letter to the editor) (June 22, 2008): http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/22/opinion/lweb22uzbek.html?ref=opinion
- “Social Investors and Human Rights Activists Pressure Government of Uzbekistan,” SRI and ILRF press release (Aug. 15, 2008): http://laborrights.org/stop-child-labor/cotton-campaign/news/11707
- “Uzbeks Urged to End Child Labor,” Financial Times (Aug. 15, 2008): http://laborrights.org/stop-child-labor/cotton-campaign/news/11706
- “Trade Groups Oppose Uzbek Cotton Child Labor,” Home Textiles Today (Aug. 18, 2008): http://www.hometextilestoday.com/article/504223-Trade_groups_oppose_Uzbek_cotton_child_labor_.php
- “Apparel & Retail Industry Call for End of Forced Child Labor,” Fibre2Fashion (Aug. 19, 2008): http://laborrights.org/stop-child-labor/cotton-campaign/news/11711
- “Importers Attack Uzbekistan Trade with United States,” Textile World (Aug. 19, 2008): http://www.textileworld.com/Articles/2008/August_2008/News/Importers_Attack_Uzbekistan_Trade_With_United_States.html
- “Uzbekistan: Children Continue to Work on Cotton Fields Despite Official Ban,” Ferghana News (Sept. 16, 2008): http://enews.fergananews.com/article.php?id=2466
- “Uzbek Cotton and Forced Child Labour – Is the Government Serious?,” Ethical Corporation (Sept. 21, 2008): http://www.ethicalcorp.com/content.asp?ContentID=6093
- “Schoolchildren sent to pick cotton in Jizak Region,” Uznews.com (Sept. 24, 2008): http://www.uznews.net/news_single.php?lng=en&sub=top&cid=2&nid=7340
- “Schoolchildren sent to pick cotton in Samarkand Region,” Uznews.com (Sept. 24, 2008): http://www.uznews.net/news_single.php?lng=en&sub=top&cid=2&nid=7398
- “Wal-Mart Boycotts Uzbek Cotton,” Financial Times (Sept. 30, 2008): http://laborrights.org/stop-child-labor/cotton-campaign/news/11734
- “In Tajikistan, Debt-Ridden Farmers Say They Are the Pawns,” New York Times (Oct. 14, 2008): http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/15/world/asia/15tajik.html?_r=1&oref=slogin
- “Uzbekistan: Child Labor Issue Again in Spotlight Amid Cotton Harvest,” EurasiaNet (Oct. 26, 2008): http://www.eurasianet.org/departments/insightb/articles/eav102708a.shtml
- “Western Boycott Fails as Uzbek Children Still Forced to Pick Cotton,” AsiaNews.it (Oct. 28, 2008): http://www.asianews.it/index.php?l=en&art=13599&geo=3&size=A
- “Uzbekistan: Tashkent Relies on Child Labor During 2008 Cotton Harvest,” EurAsia Net (Nov. 11, 2008): http://www.eurasianet.org/departments/insightb/articles/eav111208b.shtml
- “Child Labor Continues in Uzbek Cotton Fields,” Fibre2Fashion (Nov. 12, 2008): http://laborrights.org/stop-child-labor/cotton-campaign/news/11772
- “Asian Textile Mills Circumventing Boycott of Uzbekistan’s Cotton,” South West Farm Press (Nov. 20, 2008): http://southwestfarmpress.com/cotton/asian-textile-mills-circumventing-boycott-uzbekistans-cotton
- “Wal-Mart: A Bully Benefactor,” Fortune (Dec. 5, 2008): http://money.cnn.com/2008/12/02/news/companies/walmart_gunther.fortune/index.htm?section=money_latest
2009
- “Human Rights Activists Trying to Sue Uzbek Ministry for Child Labour,” Uznews.net (Feb. 25, 2009): http://www.uznews.net/news_single.php?lng=en&sub=hot&cid=16&nid=9015
- “Uzbeks Sow Seeds of Trouble in Cotton Industry Despite Official Ban on Child Labor,” Radio Free Europe (May 23, 2009): http://www.rferl.org/content/Seeds_Of_Child_Labor_Lie_Deep_In_Uzbek_Cotton_Industry/1738167.html
- “Special Report: Child Labour a Family Affair in Badakhshan,” Institute for War & Peace Reporting (May 26, 2009): http://laborrights.org/stop-child-labor/cotton-campaign/news/11893
- “Making Cotton as Homework for Uzbek Children,” AsiaNews.it (May 26, 2009): http://www.asianews.it/index.php?l=en&art=15349&size=A
- “Uzbekistan: Forced Child Labor Begins in Cotton Fields of Karakalpakstan,” Eurasianet.org (June 9, 2009): http://www.eurasianet.org/departments/news/articles/eav061009c.shtml
- “Activists Hail Move Against Uzbekistan Child Labour,” Deutsche Presse-Agentur (June 15, 2009): http://www.monstersandcritics.com/news/business/features/article_1483649.php/Activists_hail_move_against_Uzbekistan_child_labour__News_Feature__
- “Blood Cotton,” Independent World Report (Sept. 25, 2009): http://www.independentworldreport.com/2009/09/blood-cotton/
- “Hard Truths About Uzbek Cotton,” Los Angeles Times (Sen. Harkin Op-ED) (Sept. 25, 2009): http://articles.latimes.com/2009/sep/25/opinion/oe-harkin25
- “Workers Rally Against Child Labor in Uzbekistan,” AFL-CIO Blog (Oct. 14, 2009): http://blog.aflcio.org/2009/10/14/workers-rally-against-child-labor-in-uzbekistan/
- “Uzbek Cotton Picked by Children Enjoys Demand,” Uznews.net (Oct. 16, 2009): http://www.uznews.net/news_single.php?lng=en&sub=top&cid=2&nid=11598
- “Activist ‘Beaten’ After BBC Story,” BBC News (Nov. 11, 2009): http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8355585.stm
- “Uzbek Cotton Fields Still Using Child Labour,” BBC Uzbek Service (Nov. 11, 2009): http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8340630.stm
- “Uzbek Students ‘Regularly’ Expelled For Not Picking Cotton,” Radio Free Europe (Dec. 6, 2009): http://www.rferl.org/content/Uzbek_Students_Expelled_For_Not_Picking_Cotton/1896518.html
2010
- “Rocker Sting Stung By Controversy Over Secret Concert for Dictator’s Daughter,” Fox News (April 13, 2010): http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2010/04/13/rocker-sting-stung-controversy-secret-concert-dictator/
- “Child Labor: As Close as the Shirt on Your Back,” The Sacramento Bee (AYS Op-Ed) (June 20, 2010): http://www.sacbee.com/2010/06/20/2833793/viewpoints-child-labor-as-close.html
- “US Blacklists Tajik Cotton Despite Child-Labor Ban,” Radio Free Europe (July 22, 2010): http://www.rferl.org/content/US_Blacklists_Tajik_Cotton_Despite_Child_Labor_Ban/2106652.html
- “Official Uses Force Against Cotton-Picking Teachers in Jizak Region,” Uznews.net (Oct. 19, 2010): http://www.uznews.net/news_single.php?lng=en&sub=hot&cid=3&nid=15248
- “Child Labor in Uzbekistan: Are German Firms Profiting from Modern Slavery?,” Der Spiegel (Oct. 28, 2010): http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,725590,00.html
- “German NGO Pursues Uzbek Human Rights Complaint with EU Cotton Traders,” Eurasianet (Oct. 29, 2010): http://www.eurasianet.org/node/62261
