Cotton Campaign
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To the government of Turkmenistan

Русская версия

The Turkmen government has complete control over the cotton production system and could end the use of forced labor by taking the following actions:
  1. Enforce national laws that prohibit the use of forced and child labor in alignment with ratified
  2. ILO conventions
  3. Make public, high-level policy statements condemning forced labor, specifically including forced labor in the cotton sector, and making clear that all work should be voluntary and fairly compensated
  4. Instruct government officials at all levels and citizens that act on behalf of the government to not use coercion to mobilize anyone to work
  5. Initiate fair judicial processes that conform to international standards against government officials found to have forced citizens to work, including in the cotton sector, and hold accountable those found guilty with penalties that reflect the severity of the crime and serve as a deterrent for future crimes
  6. Allow independent journalists, human rights defenders, and other individuals and organizations to document and report concerns about the use of forced labor without fear of reprisals
  7. Initiate a time-bound plan to reform root causes of forced labor in the agriculture sector, including:
  • Cease punitive measures against farmers for debts and not meeting state-mandated production quotas for cotton and other agricultural products
  • Ensure the state-established procurement prices for cotton, wheat and silk reflect the costs of production, including costs of voluntary labor at market rates, and, over time abolish the state monopsony on cotton, wheat and silk purchasing
  • Increase financial transparency in the agriculture sector, including by ensuring national budgets include expenditures and income in the agriculture sector
  • Abolish mandatory production quotas and grant farmers autonomous management of agricultural land

Key Documents:
​Cotton Campaign coalition letter regarding UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon travel to Turkmenistan.  
November 25, 2016

Cotton Campaign coalition letter to the government of Turkmenistan, signed by 57 companies, human rights NGOs, industry associations, investors, and trade unions, calling for urgent action to end forced labor in the cotton sector of Turkmenistan
May 25, 2016


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
  • About
    • Who We Are
    • Uzbekistan's Forced Labor Problem >
      • Reports
      • Chronicle of Forced Labor
      • Photos/Video
      • FAQs
    • Turkmenistan's Forced Labor Problem >
      • Reports of Forced Labor in Turkmenistan's Cotton Sector
    • Forced Labor Cotton in Other Countries
    • Contact
  • Countries
    • Turkmenistan
    • Uzbekistan
    • Governments >
      • What other governments can do
    • International Organizations >
      • What the World Bank and Asian Development Bank can do
      • What the International Labor Organization can do
    • Companies >
      • What companies operating in Uzbekistan or Turkmenistan can do
      • What companies that use cotton can do
      • What investors can do
  • Take Action
  • Media
    • Press Releases
    • News
    • Videos
  • Blog