Observation (CEACR) - adoptée 2024, publiée 113ème session CIT (2025)

Convention (n° 182) sur les pires formes de travail des enfants, 1999 - Ouzbékistan (Ratification: 2008)

The Committee notes the observations of the International Union of Food, Agricultural, Hotel, Restaurant, Catering, Tobacco and Allied Workers’ Associations (IUF), received on 31 August 2023.

Articles 3(a) and (d) and 7(1) of the Convention. Worst forms of child labour and penalties. Forced or compulsory labour in cotton production and hazardous work. The Committee notes, from the Government’s report, the adoption of the Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers No. 290 of 14 July 2023 approving the new List of Heavy Work and Work with Harmful or Hazardous Working Conditions in which the Employment of Persons under the Age of 18 is Prohibited. The Committee notes that, as was provided in the previous Resolution, the engagement of children in watering and picking cotton continues to be prohibited.

The Committee notes, the Government’s indication that in 2022, national monitoring groups carried out monitoring activities on child and forced labour in cotton production in 398 farms. In addition, 21 vocational educational institutions, 298 general education schools, 103 health care institutions, 15 business entities, 112 khokimiyat (local administrations) and 2,453 respondents in 151 citizens’ gatherings were surveyed. The Government informs that the results of the national monitoring show that, in 2022, there were no cases recorded of trafficking or forced participation of workers in the cotton harvest season. The Committee further notes, from the conclusions of the 2021 ILO Third Party Monitoring Report on child labour and forced labour during the cotton harvest (TPM report of 2021) that Uzbek cotton continues to be free from systematic forced labour and child labour. The Committee also notes that: (1) on 29 November 2023 the ILO organized a workshop for social partners to present the integrated ILO Approach on Good Governance and Decent Work in Uzbekistan’s Cotton, Textile and Apparel Sector; (2) during the workshop, the participants validated the workplan for 2023–26 of the new project RISE for Impact: Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work in the Cotton Supply Chain. RISE for Impact project aims to reinforce the respect and realization of the fundamental principles and rights at work by enhancing the knowledge of cotton growing communities, district branches of constituents, farmers’ unions and concerned civil society organizations.

The Committee further notes, from the observation of the IUF, the reports that, although not systematic or systemic, children continue to be engaged in the cotton harvest and other related tasks. It also notes, from the concluding observations of the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC), the existence of persisting reports of child labour cases, in particular in the cotton industry (CRC/C/UZB/CO/5, 27 October 2022, paragraph 45). The Committee requests the Government to strengthen its efforts to ensure the effective elimination of compulsory labour and hazardous work of children below the age of 18 years in cotton production. In this regard, it requests the Government to continue to provide information on: (i) any new awareness-raising and monitoring activities on child labour during the cotton harvest; (ii) the RISE for Impact Project and the measures taken for its implementation; and (iii) any cases of child labour, including in hazardous work, detected in the cotton harvest. The Committee also requests the Government to: (i) continue third party monitoring efforts, in cooperation with the ILO; and (ii) provide information on the number and nature of violations detected and penalties applied against persons who engage children under the age of 18 years during the cotton harvest.

The Committee is raising other points in a request addressed directly to the Government.