The Cotton Campaign is a global coalition of human rights, labor, investor and business organizations dedicated to eradicating child labor and forced labor in cotton production. Our goals are to end the state systems of forced labor in Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan’s cotton sectors. We pursue our goals by advocating to the governments of Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan; advocating to governments, companies, investors, and international institutions to use their influence with the governments of Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan; supporting civil society in Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan; and raising public awareness and activism.
Day of Action Against Forced Labor in Turkmenistan’s Cotton Industry
On October 1st, Turkmenistan President, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow, will be speaking at the United Nations General Assembly in New York City. Turkmenistan continues to force teachers, doctors, nurses, and government employees to pick cotton during harvest season, which is occurring now. On top of this children are still being forced to participate in the cotton industry. Join us in telling the United Nations Secretary General António Guterres and the Turkmen President that enough is enough. If you are not able to join, please sign the petition to free Gaspar Matalaev and share it with your network.

Get to Know the Cotton Campaign

Umida Niyazova, Uzbek-German Forum for Human Rights, talks about our front-line partners' work to end forced labor in Uzbekistan.
Ruslan Myatiev, Alternative Turkmenistan News, at OSCE HDIM, talks about the imprisoned civil society activists in Turkmenistan.
Judy Gearhart, International Labor Rights Forum, on the Cotton Campaign future and developments in Uzbekistan.
​Patricia Jurewicz, Responsible Sourcing Network, talks about why the Uzbek Cotton Pledge still matters.
Kirill Boychenko, Cotton Campaign coordinator, on reforms, challenges and opportunities in Uzbekistan.
​Allison Gill, Uzbek-German Forum for Human Rights, talks about the future developments for the Cotton Campaign.
© Navbahor Imamova, Amerika Ovozi (Voice of America, Uzbek Service), March 2018
Video on upper right: © Alternative Turkmenistan News, habartm.org, September 2017
CONTACT: Cotton Campaign Coordinator - C/O International Labor Rights Forum, 1634 I Street NW, suite 1000, Washington, DC 20006. 
+1(202) 347-4100, cottoncampaigncoordinator [at] gmail.com