Uzbekistan: UNICEF Brainstorming Session on Child Labor:

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E.O. 12958: DECL: 2019/10/22
TAGS: PREL PHUM ELAB PGOV UN UZ
SUBJECT: Uzbekistan: UNICEF Brainstorming Session on Child Labor:
Going Beyond Demands for Assessment

CLASSIFIED BY: Holly Lindquist Thomas, Pol/Econ Officer, State,
Tashkent; REASON: 1.4(B),(D)


1. (SBU) Summary: On October 8, UNICEF hosted a brainstorming
session for members of the international community to discuss the
issue of child labor in the cotton sector. Although the failure of
Uzbekistan to invite the International Labor Organization (ILO) to
do an assessment this year was a significant setback, there are
several ways to move forward. Participants agreed that in order
for any approach to be effective, it must be done in the spirit of
working with the government of Uzbekistan in taking concrete
measures to address child labor. There was also agreement that
efforts to isolate or shame the GOU would be counterproductive.
End summary.



Root Causes

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2. (U) Representatives from the World Bank, the Asian
Development Bank, UNDP, and the French, British, German, and
American Embassies met on October 8 to discuss next steps in
dealing with the problem of child labor in Uzbekistan.




3. (U) Participants agreed that at the root of the child
labor problem is the quota system, whereby the GOU requires farmers
to deliver a certain quantity of cotton, to be sold at a set price.
The quota is set by the regional authorities, who specify
production right down to the plot level. Farmers who do not reach
the quota may lose their land or end up heavily indebted to the
government, which pays an annual advance on payments so that
farmers can buy the inputs necessary to plant and harvest the crop.





4. (U) Farmers prefer to use adult laborers. They are more
productive, and they do not have to be provided with food and
lodging. At the height of the harvest, however, sufficient adult
labor is not always available, and the farmers turn to children.
This is less of a problem on productive land than it is on marginal
land, where farmers need to harvest every last ounce of cotton in
order to meet the quota. Tailoring the quota to better reflect
land productivity would help to relieve some of this pressure.




5. (U) The GOU wishes to keep its overall production of
cotton consistent, as it takes much pride in being the third
leading exporter of cotton worldwide. Nevertheless, it diverted
about 750,000 hectares last year to wheat production, both because
the land was marginal and in light of food security concerns.
Thus, while the GOU may not be inclined to significantly lower the
quota in the short-term, a gradual step-down approach may be
possible.



Where the Money Goes

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6. (SBU) There are three major beneficiaries of cotton
revenues: 1) the state budget (15-17% of the budget is derived from
cotton revenues); 2) the cotton manufacturers; and 3) individual
oligarchs, some of whom likely have strong ties to President
Karimov. Loup Brefort, Director of the World Bank, stated that
when cotton accounted for a much bigger proportion of state revenue
(60% as opposed to 10-15%),it was impossible to discuss any change
in the cotton sector. Dialogue on the issue now is a possibility.

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GOU Steps to Address the Problem

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7. (U) Good laws are in place in Uzbekistan that could help
to ensure that children are not being used in the cotton harvest.
The GOU last year ratified ILO Conventions 138 on the Minimum Age
for Employment and 182 on the Elimination of the Worst Forms of
Child Labor. The GOU also developed a National Action Plan last
year to address child labor, and sent letters to all regional
departments that they should not use child labor.




8. (U) This year, the GOU added cotton picking to a list of
hazardous work, from which children are excluded. The problem lies
in implementing the international and domestic legislation. On
October 9, MFA officials informed poloff that 150 local
administrators were reprimanded for allowing the use of child labor
last year, and Trade Minister Ganiev recently stated in Washington
that a few local hokims recently were replaced because they were
allowing child labor to be used in their districts.




9. (U) The Ministry of Labor trained about 200 personnel to
address child labor issues this summer, with the stated goal of
monitoring the cotton harvest and reporting on child labor
problems. UNICEF reported, however, that the role of these labor
inspectors has been to fulfill administrative regulations, and they
are not actually monitoring the fields.




10. (SBU) The GOU entered into an agreement with the World Bank
this year, under which the World Bank will provide financing for
farmers who certify that they have not used child labor. While not
directly addressing the child labor problem, this arrangement
allows for some kind of monitoring to determine whether farmers are
meeting their commitments under the agreement. (Note: Loup
Brefort, Country Manager for the World Bank, encouraged finding
"entry points" like this to engage on child labor in an objective,
non-judgmental manner. End note.)



Reports on the 2009 Harvest

--------------


11. (SBU) UNICEF observations and press reports have noted school
children working in the fields in eight of 14 regions: Tashkent;
Syrdarya; Kashkadarya; Samarkand, Karakalpakstan, Xorazm,
Surhandarya, and Bukhara. In rural areas, children as young as 10
years old are reportedly working in the fields, whereas in other
regions, the youngest children are 14-15 years old. The regional
hokim (governor) in the Ferghana region, one of the largest
producing regions in the country, has publicly called on local
authorities not to use child labor (including university students)
this year.




12. (SBU) Government employees are being mobilized in greater
numbers this year. In the past, teachers have worked the fields
and acted as supervisors for the children. This year, local
officials, doctors, and even police officers have been observed
working in the fields. As a result, public services have been

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reduced and development projects suspended. The private sector is
also being called upon to do its part. (Note: One American
businessman reported to econoff that he was told that several of
his workers were needed to harvest the fields. In order to keep
his own business up and running, he hired day laborers to take
their place, and has had to pay these laborers over and above the
governmental rate to entice them to do the work. End note.)




13. (U) The GOU is offering new incentives to adults working the
fields this year. For example, in some regions it has been
announced that the individual who picks the most cotton will be
given a car at the close of the harvest. As a result, adults from
either the public or private sectors are engaging their family
members to help them increase the volume of cotton they deliver.




14. (U) The press and some observers have reported that parents
this year are being asked to sign statements that they retain
responsibility for their children while they are working in the
cotton fields. While some parents have refused to sign, the press
reports that most feel they have no choice.



The Way Forward

--------------




15. (U) Participants agreed that the industry and NGO- led
boycott has not been effective in addressing child labor. There
are other avenues to pursue, however. Participants advocated a
multi-vector approach, encouraging the GOU to move forward in the
following areas:




16. (U) Diversification: The World Bank is encouraging more
diversification away from marginal land, and suggests that doing so
could greatly decrease the number of children working in the
fields. Estimates show that as much as one quarter to one third of
cotton is grown on marginal land.




17. (U) Cost Benefit Analysis: The World Bank and UNICEF have
been encouraging the government to do a cost-benefit analysis of
child labor, taking into account the costs of lost education, as
well as the short- and long-term effects of children working in the
fields. Presenting this as economic problem with economic
solutions provides the GOU an opportunity to engage on this issue
without having to defend the morality of using a child work force.





18. (U) Mechanization: There is some debate over the role
mechanization can play in addressing child labor. The labor force
here is abundant and much cheaper than the purchase and upkeep of
equipment, and therefore more attractive to farmers. Also, there
is a belief that handpicked cotton results in higher quality lint,
which fetches a higher price on the world market. The World Bank
recently signed an agreement to provide financing to farmers, but
it is too soon to know whether individual farmers will use the
loans to buy cotton harvesters, or in other ways that may be seen
as more cost-effective. Nevertheless, mechanization is part of a
long-term solution, and should be encouraged. (Note: During A/S

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Blake's recent visit, the local governor (hokim) of Samarkand told
him that the Samarkand region could use more than double the number
of cotton harvesters currently in the fields. End note.)




19. (U) Implementation of Existing Commitments and Development of
Domestic Legislation: ILO Conventions 138 and 182 and the National
Action Plan developed last year provide a strong framework for
addressing child labor in Uzbekistan. Participants agreed that
finding ways to assist the GOU to implement these agreements is a
better approach than demanding an assessment or acknowledgment of
the problem. UNICEF Director Mahboob Shareef also suggested
encouraging Uzbekistan to develop domestic legislation to address
child labor. Apparently there is some legislation in the works
associating criminal penalties with using child labor. Adoption of
such legislation could be a gesture to the international community
that Uzbekistan is taking the problem seriously. Criminal
prosecutions would be a measurable indicator of the attention being
paid to the problem, much like in the field of human trafficking.
(Note: Although neither the international agreements nor domestic
legislation address the systemic agricultural reform that will be
necessary to eradicate child labor, their implementation could go
far to reduce the number of children in the fields. End note.)




20. (U) A Presidential Statement: President Karimov has never
made a public statement on this issue. Until he says that
Uzbekistan will not tolerate child labor, local officials will have
discretion in whether to utilize child labor, with some (like in
the Ferghana valley) forbidding child labor, and others mobilizing
school children and local government workers to work the fields. A
presidential statement would clarify that the GOU truly opposes the
use of child labor and forced labor in the cotton fields.




21. (SBU) High Level Delegations: The participants agreed that
high level visits were a good opportunity to talk about child labor
with officials. UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon apparently is
planning a trip to Uzbekistan in the coming year. If he does come
to Tashkent, UNICEF and UNDP will encourage him to raise the issue
of child labor. Ambassador Norland mentioned that the issue will
remain on the agenda for any upcoming Washington visitors.




22. (U) Short-term Steps: UNICEF is updating the progress made
on the National Action Plan (NAP),with the intention of offering
assistance to the GOU in areas where progress is lacking. UNICEF
Director Mahboob Shareef intends to call on First Deputy Prime
Minister Azimov to take the lead, which will mean coordinating the
efforts of the 23 agencies named in the NAP with responsibilities.
UNICEF will continue to take the lead on this issue, but encourages
continued high level engagement by the international community. It
will develop a proposal for suggested actions, and will keep the
international community informed as it moves forward. The other
members of the meeting pledged to support UNICEF's efforts.



Comment

--------------




23. (C) During the past year, great emphasis was placed on
inviting the ILO to do an independent assessment of child labor in
the cotton sector, in order to give a clear picture of the state of

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child labor today. President Karimov bristled at the idea of an
international organization coming in to "grade Uzbekistan like
school pupils," however, and refused to extend such an invitation.
While admittedly a setback, this does not mean an end to
discussions with the GOU on the child labor issue. This meeting
clearly showed that there are viable strategies for going forward,
and the international community, led by UNICEF, showed its
willingness to pursue such strategies.




24. (C) The GOU continues to bristle at any mention of a child
labor problem in Uzbekistan, and would like to take the issue of
child labor off the table as an agenda item during the proposed
annual bilateral consultations. Addressing the issue in the
context of agricultural reform, however, particularly by focusing
on the economic impacts, remains a viable backdoor approach. In
fact, targeting the economic factors that cause the problem will,
in the long run, do more to effect real change than surveys or
other efforts to bring scrutiny on Uzbekistan over this issue.



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