“Progress is clear, but there’s more to do: Let’s speed up efforts!” – World Day Against Child Labour celebrated in Sirdarya Region, Uzbekistan

Sirdarya Region, Uzbekistan (ILO News) – To mark the World Day Against Child Labour, a vibrant celebration was held at the newly renovated Sirdarya Children’s Health Camp on 12 June 2025. Organized by the Federation of Trade Unions of Uzbekistan with support from the ILO RISE for Impact Project, the event brought together national stakeholders, children and international partners under the slogan: “Progress is clear, but there’s more to do: Let’s speed up efforts!”.

The event highlighted Uzbekistan’s ongoing efforts to eliminate child labour across all sectors of the economy. While the country has made significant progress, including the eradication of the systematic use of child labour in cotton picking, there is still work to be done to fully protect girls and boys from exploitation in areas such as agriculture, services and informal work. The event also included creative and recreational competitions for children and concluded by a cheerful concert with children’s performances.

“We shared information about the large-scale efforts being carried out by the Government in this area. Thanks to systemic reforms, forced child labour in agriculture, including on cotton fields, has been completely eradicated. Around two million children have been freed from hard labour. This work continues on a systemic basis,” said Ms. Shohida Begimkulova, Head of the Organizational Work Department of the Republican Council of the Trade Union of Agro-Industrial Complex Workers of Uzbekistan.

© ILO

© ILO

The ILO commended the strong collaboration among national and international partners and invited stakeholders to accelerate action against child labour and expressed its appreciation to the Federation of Trade Unions of Uzbekistan for organizing the event.

The celebration served as a powerful reminder that although notable progress has been achieved, child labour remains a challenge that requires sustained and collective action to fully overcome.