Take action on forced labour in Uzbekistan's cotton industry
by ENIE NDOH CECILE | May 22, 2009 at 1:27 PM
uzbekistan1.jpgDear Supporter
State-sponsored forced labour, particularly of children, underpins the cotton industry in Uzbekistan. Schools are closed down for the duration of the cotton harvest and children, some as young as ten years old, are sent to the fields to pick cotton by hand for little or no pay. Students who fail to meet their targets or refuse to work are beaten or can face expulsion from school. Human rights groups estimate that up to 200,000 children are involved each year.
Uzbekistan is the third biggest exporter of cotton in the world, generating over US$1 billion annually. The single biggest destination for Uzbek cotton is the European market. Retailers including Wal-Mart, Tesco and Marks and Spencer, amongst others, have taken action to ban Uzbek cotton from their products.
Please click here - http://www.antislavery.org/homepage/campaign/Uzbekistan_cotton_industry.htm to write to your favourite retailers and your MEPs about forced child labour in Uzbek cotton.
You can read background information about this action here - http://www.antislavery.org/homepage/campaign/Uzbekistan_cotton_industry_...
