Crossroads Asia

Forced Labor Continues in World Bank Project Areas in Uzbekistan

Recent Features

Crossroads Asia

Forced Labor Continues in World Bank Project Areas in Uzbekistan

In a new report, Human Rights Watch says the World Bank’s Uzbekistan projects are tainted with forced labor.

Forced Labor Continues in World Bank Project Areas in Uzbekistan
Credit: Flickr / Peretz Partensky

If there’s one topic the government of Uzbekistan wished would fade away, it’s probably the issue of forced labor in the cotton industry. But just like the cotton harvest, the issue crops up every year.

In a new report — titled “We Can’t Refuse to Pick Cotton” — Human Rights Watch and the Uzbek-German Forum for Human Rights claim that forced labor practices continue in project areas funded by the World Bank, despite loan agreements that include provisions requiring the Uzbek government to comply with international laws prohibiting child and forced labor. Notably, the loan agreements provide for suspension “if there is credible evidence of violations,” but the World Bank has not halted projects despite numerous reports and indications that violations continue.

[...]
Dreaming of a career in the Asia-Pacific?
Try The Diplomat's jobs board.
Find your Asia-Pacific job