The NOWYOUKNOW project
Carpet weaving and cotton production
Many ‘manufacturers’ in different parts of the world exploit thousands of people (including children) for the cotton production.
We should all know that many of our favourite clothes hide the pain of little children that suffer in their own hell. But first of all we have to see the top 10 countries that use labour to produce 89% of the the total world cotton: 1st place China , 2nd place India, 3rd place U.S and 4th Uzbekistan.
Especially in India there an estimate of illegal labour of 500,000 children employed as cotton workers. Many times poor parents give away their children as a loan in order to be given very little money for their families’ needs.
In all these cases the manufacturers use psychological and physical violence against their victims. A big number of children die every year or suffer from serious health problems that are caused from the toxic chemicals and pesticides.
The European Union keeps silent and supports this kind of exploitation by buying many tons of the ‘blood’ cotton every year.
The Uzbekistan case
Many people, if asked to think about slavery in the cotton fields, would surely think about the one that took place in America until the 19th century.
Would someone imagine that slavery in cotton fields is not only still existing, but in one case, that is strange to say, state-controlled?
Well, we will introduce you to the case of Uzbekistan, where the state itself administrates the thriving business of cotton production, in which slave-citizens are employed in great number. According to some sources, the Uzbek government forces adults and children to harvest cotton when the season comes. In the spring children and adults are forced to prepare the fields. Whoever refuses to obey is heavily punished: adults may lose their jobs and youths may have to leave their studies.
And this is just one example of modern slavery. If you are curious, read on!
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