Mitch Ellmauer, Intern, International Labor Rights Forum
This week, children's clothing company Carter’s (which also owns Osh Kosh B'Gosh) released a statement condemning the Government of Uzbekistan's use of forced child labor to produce the nation's cotton and promised to “take steps… to ensure compliance” to child and forced labor prohibitions among its suppliers.
Carter’s sudden change in policy comes just two weeks after ILRF launched a petition on Change.org. The petition received over 700 signatures within the first week and the petition’s hundreds of signatures made Carter’s take notice. Thanks to everyone who took action! Now it's time to spring into action once again.
The struggle is far from over! While many clothing retailers -- like Gap, Children’s Place, and Gymboree -- are working to address labor abuses in their cotton, some companies continue to remain silent about forced child labor in Uzbekistan's cotton fields. ILRF has started new petitions focused on a few holdouts who still have not taken action against Uzbek cotton.
Here are links to our new petitions:
Your actions really do make a difference! Make your voice heard. Sign these petitions and tell these companies to stop using cotton picked by child labor. Be sure to spread the word to friends and family!
Comments