Uzbekistan’s Cotton and Textile Sector: Opportunities and Challenges (Webinar)

Click here to register for the webinar — Uzbekistan’s Cotton and Textile Sector: Opportunities and Challenges.

Wednesday, November 16, 2022
7–8 p.m. UZT
3–4 p.m. CET
9–10 a.m. EST

Fair Labor Association (FLA), the Cotton Campaign, and Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) are pleased to jointly host a webinar to discuss the recent reforms in Uzbekistan’s cotton and textile sector, focusing on the opportunities these reforms create for companies to source from Uzbekistan, and the remaining challenges. The three organizations will share information on their ongoing work in Uzbekistan, including their efforts to strengthen the protection of labor rights.   

Who should attend?

• International apparel and home goods companies interested in exploring sourcing of yarn, fabric, or finished products from Uzbekistan; and
• Individuals and organizations interested in efforts to strengthen labor rights, rule of law, and the role of civil society organizations in Uzbekistan.

Background

Uzbekistan’s cotton and textile industry has undergone several key changes over the last seven years, most notably the elimination of state-imposed child labor and forced labor and the establishment of Cotton-Textile Clusters at the core of production and sourcing. This changing landscape opens new opportunities for the growth of the industry and sourcing by global companies. However, significant human rights risks remain, requiring the development of robust, worker-driven prevention and mitigation mechanisms at all stages of production.

An expert panel will examine the recent developments in the country from a labor and human rights perspective, covering issues such as systems for advancing human right due diligence, farm-level traceability, and effective grievance mechanisms — and what this can mean for improved working conditions, social dialogue, and stronger civil society organizations.

Agenda

Introduction: Eric Biel, Senior Advisor, FLA (Moderator)
Opening Remarks: Sally Greenberg, President, National Consumers League; Board Member, FLA
Expert Panel, followed by Q&A: 

• Preliminary findings of independent civil society monitoring of the 2022 cotton harvest and The Cotton Campaign’s framework for responsible sourcing — Allison Gill, Senior Cotton Campaign Coordinator and Raluca Dumitrescu, Cotton Campaign Coordinator, Cotton Campaign
• Building capacity and promoting sustainable methods in the cotton-textile sector in Uzbekistan — Oydin Sattarov, Project Coordinator, GIZ
• Strengthening enterprise-level grievance mechanisms — Richa Mittal, Senior Director, FLA