Showing posts with label Cotton. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cotton. Show all posts
Friday, October 31, 2014
Exposing a Disgrace: Uzbek Elite Keep Profiting from Forced Labor | Open Society Foundations (OSF)
Every year, the government of Uzbekistan forcibly mobilizes more than a million of its own citizens to pick cotton. Under international pressure, the authorities in Tashkent have recently moved away from forcing young children to pick cotton. But the system still depends on exporting cotton picked by adults who are essentially government slaves.
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Exposing a Disgrace: Uzbek Elite Keep Profiting from Forced Labor | Open Society Foundations (OSF):
Wednesday, December 18, 2013
In Uzbekistan, the Practice of Forced Labor Lives On During the Cotton Harvest - NYTimes.com
Source: NYTimes.com
SAMARKAND, Uzbekistan — For most of the year, Dr. Tamara Khidoyatova treats patients as a doctor at a hospital here in this picturesque, old Silk Road city. But for a few weeks every autumn, she is forced to pick cotton, for which she is paid little or nothing.
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http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/18/world/asia/forced-labor-lives-on-in-uzbekistans-cotton-fields.html?_r=0
SAMARKAND, Uzbekistan — For most of the year, Dr. Tamara Khidoyatova treats patients as a doctor at a hospital here in this picturesque, old Silk Road city. But for a few weeks every autumn, she is forced to pick cotton, for which she is paid little or nothing.
Continue:
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/18/world/asia/forced-labor-lives-on-in-uzbekistans-cotton-fields.html?_r=0
Wednesday, December 12, 2012
A great campaign and an easy way to buy more ethically this holiday season — The Good Men Project
A great campaign and an easy way to buy more ethically this holiday season — The Good Men Project
NOVEMBER 24, 2012 BY
From Reid Maki, National Consumers League
NOVEMBER 24, 2012 BY
From Reid Maki, National Consumers League
The Cotton Campaign recently passed an important milestone in the fight to protect children in Uzbekistan from forced child labor: more than 100 companies have signed a pledge to try to avoid purchasing Uzbek cotton. Consumers will recognize a lot of the names on the list—Levis Strauss, Fruit of the Loom, GAP, Ann Taylor, Wal-Mart—comprising many of the largest apparel companies in the world. To date, 124 companies have signed the pledge.
Each fall, the country of Uzbekistan compels hundreds of thousands of school children to leave their classrooms and perform back-breaking labor harvesting cotton. The children typically earn only pennies for their work and experience harsh, uncomfortable conditions. In many countries of the world cotton is harvested with machinery, but in Uzbekistan using school children, college students and adults forced into labor has proven to be a cheap solution to harvest needs and picking by hand results in cotton that can draw top prices. Ruled by a totalitarian dictator, Islam Karimov, Uzbekistan is the only country in the world whose government is compelling the widespread use of child labor for non-military purposes.
For years, the members of the Cotton Campaign, including the National Consumers League (NCL) and theChild Labor Coalition, which NCL co-chairs with the American Federation of Teachers, have applied pressure on companies that use cotton to eliminate their use of Uzbek cotton until Uzbek leaders allows theInternational Labour Organization to monitor the cotton harvest and until Uzbekistan eliminates exploitative child labor and forced adult labor from the harvest.
According to reports coming out of Uzbekistan during this fall’s harvest, more schools have remained open this year and the use of child labor has fallen somewhat. Apparently, Uzbekistan has allowed some younger children to focus on their studies by turning to increased forced labor of older kids in the 15- to 19-year-old range. Advocates see this as a sign that pressure is beginning to work. And having 100 companies sign the pledge to avoid Uzbek cotton sends a powerful message to Uzbekistan: you must do more to eliminate the use of forced labor and child labor and you must let the ILO monitor your next cotton harvest.
One obstacle that companies face who have signed the pledge is ensuring that no cotton actually enters their supply stream—despite their intentions to keep it out. Advocates and companies are working to make certain that the pledge is meaningful and that cotton does not pass through so many middlemen that its country of origin is no longer recognizable.
NCL and the Child Labor Coalition encourage consumers to look at the list of companies that have signed the pledge and if their favorite company is not yet on the list, let us know.
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Global clothing brands boycott Uzbek cotton - Telegraph
Source: Telegraph
More than 60 of the world’s top clothing labels, including Burberry and Levi, are to boycott cotton from Uzbekistan over claims the government forces children to harvest the crop. 
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More than 60 of the world’s top clothing labels, including Burberry and Levi, are to boycott cotton from Uzbekistan over claims the government forces children to harvest the crop.
Boy in Uzbekistan watches his cotton harvest being weighed Photo: THOMAS GRABKA
Swedish high street retailer H&M, and sportswear companies Adidas and Puma were among the brands who pledged not to buy cotton from the former Soviet Central Asian country that they know has been collected by children.
The groups have signed a pledge under the Responsible Sourcing Network, a project organised by the US-based advocacy group As You Sow which is organising the boycott.
“We are a major cotton consumer and like many companies, we take a clear stand against child labour, regardless of country,” said Henrik Lampa, corporate social responsibility manager at H&M.
US retail industry group American Apparel and Footwear Association, which represents more than 800 companies, had previously signed up for the pledge but Andrew Behar, Chief Executive of As You Sow, said the new individual pledges had extra significance.
“It’s about integrity and transparency,” he said. “It’s different when you sign up individually and put your logo on it.”
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Tell Gymboree To Stop Forced Child Labor Today | End Human Trafficking | Change.org
October 13, 2010 09:04 AM (PT)
Tell Gymboree To Stop Forced Child Labor Today | End Human Trafficking | Change.org
Source: End Human Trafficking
Hundreds of Change.org readers have been calling on Abercrombie and Fitch and Gymboree to take action to stop forced child labor in Uzbekistan's cotton industry. The government of Uzbekistan continues to remove children from schools all across the country and force them to pick cotton. Our actions are having an impact on Abercrombie, but children's clothing brand Gymboree remains silent on the exploitation of Uzbek children.
After concerned consumers contacted Abercrombie about its policies related to Uzbek cotton, the company responded by saying that it prohibits the use of cotton from Uzbekistan due to the "government-sanctioned use of forced child labor." However, advocates are seeking more information from Abercrombie about how it ensures that this policy is implemented. The question of implementation is critical as right now. Uzbekistan is wrapping up the annual Tashkent Cotton Fair, in which it markets its tainted cotton supply to international traders. Abercrombie should provide more details on how it makes sure that its suppliers are not purchasing this cotton.
While Abercrombie has taken a very important first step forward, Gymboree has remained completely silent on forced child labor in Uzbek cotton. It is sadly ironic that a company that makes clothing for children could do so little in the face of the exploitation of children. Gymboree needs to hear your voice of concern on this issue. You can turn up the heat on Gymboree by joining a national call-in action today.
It's easy to participate. Just call Gymboree at 1-800-222-7758, extension 7264 (if you have any problems, dial 0 for the operator) and leave a message using the sample script below or feel free to speak from the heart.
As a consumer, I want to be sure that workers are respected in the production of my clothes. Gymboree is one of a handful of major clothing companies that has not taken any action to address forced child labor in Uzbekistan’s cotton industry. This inaction is unacceptable and I expect your company to do more to stop this abuse today. Will you issue a statement opposing forced child labor and commit to stop sourcing Uzbek cotton today?
You can also find the call information and a sample script and share information about how your call went here. Also, sign the Change.org petition and recruit your friends. You can take action on Facebook, by going to Gymboree's Facebook page and posting a message like: "Gymboree: Time to break the silence on forced child labor in Uzbekistan's cotton industry! Commit to stop sourcing Uzbek cotton today." You can also take action on Twitter by posting this message: "@Gymboree: Break the silence! Commit to stop sourcing cotton made by forced child labor in Uzbekistan today!"
Your actions are clearly making a difference. Let's keep up the pressure to end forced child labor in Uzbekistan's cotton fields!
Related Petition
Photo credit: Ian Britton
Tim Newman is a campaigns assistant at the International Labor Rights Forum. He also works on the Stop Firestone campaign.
Source: End Human Trafficking
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