Uzbekistan: UNICEF Representative Discusses Child Labor

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 TASHKENT 001505

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PHUM ELAB PGOV UZ
SUBJECT: Uzbekistan: UNICEF Representative Discusses Child Labor


1. (SBU) Summary: On September 16, Ambassador Norland met
with UNICEF Representative in Uzbekistan Mahboob Shareef to discuss
child labor in the cotton fields. Shareef discussed a recent
high-level meeting with the GOU, and discussed his ideas for short-
and long-term solutions to the child labor problem in Uzbekistan.
End Summary.



Meeting with Azimov

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2. (SBU) Shareef reported that he met with First Deputy Prime
Minister Rustam Azimov earlier this week, and stressed to him the
need for Uzbekistan to fulfill its international obligations and to
implement the National Action Plan (NAP) on child labor that it
enacted last year. Azimov stated that the GOU is committed to not
using child labor, and mentioned a few steps the GOU is taking to
prevent it. For example, the Ministry of Labor just completed
training sessions for 200 labor monitors, who, according to the
NAP, will go out in teams to the various districts and monitor
whether child labor is being used, beginning in mid-October. The
GOU has also set up a hotline for people to call with questions
regarding child labor or to report observations of child labor.
Shareef said he encouraged Azimov to publicize these activities,
noting that press coverage of the call centers would be well
received in the international community.




3. (SBU) Shareef had in his possession during the meeting two
letters that Acting Minister of Labor A. Khaitov sent out last
fall; one to the Minister of Public Education, and one to the
Chairman of the Farmers' Association of Uzbekistan. Both reference
Uzbekistan's ILO obligations, and forbid the use of secondary
school children in the cotton fields. The letters also state that
officials who permit use of labor by secondary school children for
cotton picking are liable in accordance with Uzbek legislation.
Shareef stated that he encouraged Azimov to send the same letter
this year to all of the hokimiyats to ensure broad awareness that
the use of child labor will not be sanctioned by the government.
Azimov responded that he would consider it.




4. (SBU) Shareef also presented Azimov with a chart that
linked the various relevant agencies to their responsibilities
under the NAP. Azimov noted that it was a helpful analysis, in
that 21 agencies and ministries have responsibilities under the
Plan. Shareef encouraged greater leadership from the Ministry of
Labor in detailing what the other agencies needed to do in order to
meet their obligations.




5. (SBU) Shareef expressed his belief that the GOU is
sincerely trying to address the problem, albeit with small steps.
He also said he had the sense that the GOU would try use unemployed
adult workers as much as possible in the cotton harvest this year,
but that the success of the program will depend in large part on
the willingness of those unemployed workers to take part at the
wage levels on offer.



Short- and Long-term Tactics

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6. Shareef stated his ideas for both short- and long-term
tactics to address the child labor problem in Uzbekistan. In the
short term, he suggested the following: 1) A campaign to ensure
that all local officials are aware of and in compliance with the
GOU's stated policy that child labor will not be used in the cotton

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harvest; 2) A public awareness campaign directed toward the
families of school children, which should include the risks and
negative effects children face in doing the harvest; 3) Promotion
of diversification and mechanization of crops, both of which would
reduce the number of children needed to work the fields.




7. Shareef puts the ILO assessment in his long-term planning
goals. He stated that he believes that if successes are made on
some of the short-term goals, perhaps more trust would develop
between the GOU and the international community, and the GOU would
be more amenable to a comprehensive ILO assessment in two or three
years. He suggested two other possible long-term ideas: a
financing plan and an incentive plan. UNICEF is currently working
with the World Bank on a cost/benefit analysis of child labor.
With this analysis, UNICEF hopes to be able to evaluate the
children's contribution to the cotton harvest, and come up with a
monetary figure that would be needed in order for the GOU to pay
adult workers. The World Bank would then look into financing that
amount. An incentive plan, as the name implies, would involve
diplomatic and NGO communities providing certain incentives in
exchange for gains in this area by the GOU. Shareef suggested that
the international community get together to brainstorm other
possible tactics. In the meantime, UNICEF plans to continue its
education campaigns, and will do its own informal field survey, as
it has in the past.



Comment

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8. (C) Now that it is certain that the ILO will not be
invited for this year's harvest, the international community needs
to refocus on how to positively impact this issue. Shareef
considers boycotts harmful to the interests of children, and we
agree in the case of Uzbekistan. The harvest generally continues
throughout October and November, and can even go into December, so
there is still time to find effective ways to influence practices
this year. UNICEF's short- and long-term proposals present a good
starting point on which further brainstorming can be done.
NORLAND