Standing Up for Cotton Workers: Why U.S. Leadership in Uzbekistan Matters
Everyone deserves the freedom to work in safety and dignity, without fear, force, or exploitation. And when the U.S. supports labor rights abroad, it helps build a fairer, more stable global economy for everyone.
That’s what was at stake in Uzbekistan, where forced labor was once deeply woven into the fabric of the cotton industry. Uzbekistan is the world’s sixth-largest producer of cotton, producing over 1 million tons annually. The annual cotton harvest is the world’s largest seasonal labor mobilization, employing around 2 million workers, approximately half of whom derive their entire annual income from the harvest. For decades after the fall of the Soviet Union, the government of Uzbekistan, which maintains strong control over the sector, forcibly mobilized seasonal workers, including children, to pick cotton.
Thanks to decades of international pressure—and smart, targeted U.S. investment—real change happened. In 2021, the government of Uzbekistan officially ended its state-run system of forced labor, discontinuing the closed state-run system of cotton production that relied on forced labor. This was one of the largest known eradications of systemic forced labor in modern history. Further reforms have demonstrated that it is now possible to produce cotton in Uzbekistan without the use of forced labor. And the U.S. played a critical role in that progress.
Through the Department of Labor’s Bureau of International Labor Affairs (ILAB), the U.S. funded the “Enhancing Transparency And Accountability In Uzbekistan’s Cotton Industry” project led by the Solidarity Center to build on that momentum. The project supported workers’ rights, trained employers in ethical labor practices, and helped local businesses meet international standards, laying the groundwork to develop decent working conditions.
The program worked from the ground up. Tens of thousands of cotton pickers received printed guides on their legal rights and the procedures for reporting violations. Over 200 people attended in-person labor rights workshops, with many seeking legal assistance from the project to address issues like illegal overtime and unpaid wages. Local textile companies asked to join, seeing ethical sourcing as a pathway to international trade. In 2023, a formal agreement was signed among the Solidarity Center, the Uzbek government, and business leaders to expand labor compliance efforts nationwide.
In fact, ILAB was so encouraged by the results that it increased the project’s funding by more than $1 million in late 2024.
Then, just months later, everything changed.
On March 13, 2025, the Department of Labor abruptly terminated the project, citing vague concerns that it no longer “effectuates the program goals.” No clear reason was given. But the impact is clear: the program shut down. Partnerships collapsed. Momentum stalled. The emerging systems to address ongoing worker exploitation have closed off.
This was more than a bureaucratic decision; it’s a retreat at the exact moment when continued engagement was most needed. At the time of the award’s termination, the Solidarity Center had launched programs at two local textile production enterprises. It had recently been approached by six other producers interested in working with them to launch similar programs.
When we walk away abruptly and too soon, we risk undoing progress that took decades to achieve. We also make it more challenging for U.S. companies to compete in global economies. The United States is consistently among the top four global producers of cotton, and competition with countries that produce cotton artificially cheaply through egregious worker exploitation increases risks for U.S. workers as well.
Now, the future of cotton harvested under decent working conditions in Uzbekistan is at risk. U.S. companies face greater difficulty ensuring clean supply chains. And vulnerable workers, many of whom rely on the harvest for their livelihoods, have lost a powerful ally in the fight for dignity and fair pay.
