OSCE Office supports discussion on curbing use of student labour for cotton harvest

KHUJAND, Tajikistan, 28 August 2008 - Thousands of students in Tajikistan temporarily abandon their studies to work the cotton harvest, a cause for concern that was the focus of a roundtable discussion organized by the OSCE Office today in Khujand, capital of Tajikistan's northern Sughd province.

The event aimed to raise public awareness and draw the attention of local authorities to the rights of students to receive a quality education. It brought together representatives of provincial and local government authorities, farmers, students, university rectors and non-governmental organizations. Participants discussed the social function of higher education, as well as efforts to curb the use of student labor during the cotton harvest, and regular monitoring of this issue.

"In Tajikistan each year, thousands of students are found not on college campuses but on cotton plantations for over one month during the academic year. We believe that discussion on this issue between respected authorities and university staff and students will help to address this concern," said Klaus Rasmussen, Deputy Head of the OSCE Office in Tajikistan.