Human, Labor Rights Groups Welcome Cancellation of Karimova’s NY Fashion Show; Call on the Fashion Industry to Boycott Uzbek Cotton

Campaigners calling for an end to forced child labor in Uzbekistan’s cotton industry welcome IMG’s move to cancel the fashion show of Gulnara Karimova, the Uzbek dictator's daughter scheduled for September 15 as part of New York Fashion Week.

Gulnara Karimova is the daughter of strongman Islam Karimov, whose regime is widely criticized for its brutal violations of human rights and for sponsoring forced child labor in the country’s cotton fields. Karimova serves as her country's ambassador to Spain. New reports from Uzbekistan reveal how young people are removed from school and are forced to pick cotton to meet government-imposed production quotas. The organizations, including the American Federation of Teachers, the International Labor Rights Forum and the Open Society Foundations, urge the fashion industry to take a stand immediately and implement a ban on cotton from Uzbekistan.

Various organizations are still going ahead with organizing a rally and fashion show on Thursday September 15 from 11am to 1pm ET at Lincoln Center to show the fashion industry that children are still exploited in the production of cotton. To join the rally, go to the ILRF website.