Turkmenistan Province Bans Child Labor in Cotton Harvesting

The Chronicle of Turkmenistan reported that on 3 June, the governor of Lebap Province called a meeting with heads of agricultural associations of etraps - administrative-territorial units - to discuss issues regarding the production of cotton and in particular, the growing employment of children in harvesting. In order to halt this worrying trend, he warned, "If children are seen in the fields, the heads of the agricultural associations will be held responsible and as such, should advise parents of the inadmissibility of child labor." He also recommended that families of tenants on neighboring plots form brigades and cooperate in agro-technical activities on each other's plots. In addition, heads of the associations were promised that if their tenants bought fertilizers at their own expense and provided receipts, the agricultural enterprise would provide compensation when paying for the harvest.