Русская версия

​The World Bank Group is providing more than $500 million in financing to the government of Uzbekistan for its agriculture sector and additional financing to multinational companies processing forced-labor cotton in Uzbekistan. 

1. Suspend disbursements until the Uzbek government demonstrates meaningful progress reforming the root causes of forced labor, its financial system that incentivizes officials to use coercion and repression of citizens who report violations
2. Engage and work with the Uzbek government to develop and implement a time-bound plan to reform root causes of forced labor in the agriculture sector, including the steps recommended to the government here
3. Ensure robust and fully independent third-party monitoring of compliance with core labor conventions in the project areas
4. Establish a confidential and accessible grievance mechanism and provide effective remedies, including legal and financial, to any person who is subjected to forced labor in the project areas
5. Take all necessary measures to prevent reprisals against community members, journalists, and independent organizations for monitoring or reporting on human rights violations in these areas, for engaging with the Bank’s project monitors, or for filing complaints, including by seeking an enforceable commitment from the government that it will not interfere with independent reporting and engagement
6. Raise concerns about the safety and access of independent monitors publicly and at the highest levels and make clear that their ability to work unimpeded is a vital sign of the government’s good faith and requirement for World Bank financing

Key documents:

World Bank response to the Cotton Campaign, refusing to take on the recommendation to address retaliation against labor rights monitors during the upcoming meeting with the Uzbek government in advance of the 2016 cotton harvest.
4 August 2016

Cotton Campaign coalition letter to the World Bank Vice Presidents, with recommendations for the Bank's upcoming meeting with the government of Uzbekistan leading up to the 2016 cotton harvest.
29 July 2016

Complaint to the Compliance Advisory Ombudsman concerning the International Finance Corporation loan to Indorama Kokand Textile in Uzbekistan, filed by Uzbek forced-labor victims and human rights defenders
30 June 2016

Cotton Campaign and Human Rights Watch letter to the Asian Development Bank, expressing concern that the Amu Bukhara Irrigation System Rehabilitation (ABIS) and Innovations for Agriculture Modernization projects are contributing to state-led forced labor in Uzbekistan.
29 April 2016 

Sign onto the Petition to the World Bank President, urging the Bank to suspend finance to the Uzbek government for having used forced labor in Bank-financed project areas throughout the 2015 cotton harvest.

International Finance Corporation response to the Cotton Campaign
23 December 2015

Cotton Campaign letter calling on the World Bank to suspend payments to the Uzbek government until it demonstrates progress ending forced labor, including reforming its financial system that incentivizes officials to use coercion and ceasing repression of citizens who report violations
17 December 2015

Cotton Campaign letter calling on the International Finance Corporation to suspend consideration of projects with Indorama Kokand Textiles and other companies using Uzbek cotton until they can do business without using cotton produced with forced labor
12 December 2015

Cotton Campaign letter to the World Bank concerning ongoing forced labor in World Bank project areas in Uzbekistan
19 November 2015

Cotton Campaign Submission to the World Bank for the Country Partnership Framework (CPF) for Uzbekistan, 2016-2020
3 November 2015

Cotton Campaign Submission to the World Bank for the Systematic Country Diagnostic (SCD) for Uzbekistan
28 August 2015

World Bank: No Probe of Link to Abuses in Uzbekistan
2 February 2015

Letter from Uzbek Civil Society to World Bank President
29 January 2015

World Bank: Investigate Uzbekistan’s Forced Labor: Inspection Panel Should Ensure Funds Not Used for Abuses
17 December 2014

Cotton Campaign Submission to the World Bank Inspection Panel: Concerning the Republic of Uzbekistan: Second Rural Enterprise Support Project (P109126) and Additional Financing (P126962) (“RESP-II”)
17 December 2014

Cotton Campaign letter to the Asian Development Bank concerning its projects in Uzbekistan
10 September 2014

Cotton Campaign letter to the World Bank President concerning proposed new projects in Uzbekistan
> Appendix to the letter
27 May 2014

Complaint to the World Bank Inspection Panel by Victims of Forced Labor in Uzbekistan (English)
> In Russian
5 September 2013