The use of child labor in Uzbekistanʼs cotton harvest is becoming rarer, but there are indications adults are being press-ganged into service this year. In 2012, Uzbekistan banned the practice of child labor following a punishing cotton boycott by leading western brands. Authorities have taken a range of measures to reduce the incidence of child labor and make it socially unacceptable.

Apparent efforts by Uzbekistan to reduce reliance on underage workers prompted the US to promote Uzbekistan from Tier III to Tier II on its watch list. However, the burden of meeting harvest quotas has shifted to adults, who may be recruited against their will though large numbers of citizens seem to be willing recruits and see the harvest as an opportunity.

Organised recruitment of large number of people within such a short period of time carries risks linked to workers’ rights. There are certain indicators of forced labor. Students from colleges and universities take part in the harvest. But there are doubts if they are coming of their own will. Labor has been drawn from the healthcare and education sector and this has had a devastating effect on the quality of public services.

There have been widespread reports of intimidation of civil society campaigners seeking to document abuses in cotton harvesting.