The International Labour Organization and the European Union have launched a new EU-funded project in Turkmenistan focused on promoting “decent work” and preventing child and forced labour, particularly in the cotton sector.
The project, titled “Promoting decent work and preventing child and forced labour in Turkmenistan”, was launched in Ashgabat on 13 May and will run from 2026 to 2027, the European External Action Service (EEAS) reported.
It will support updates to Turkmenistan’s legal framework, the ratification and implementation of international labour standards, and efforts to strengthen institutional capacity to prevent and address labour rights violations.
Khalbibi Tachjanova, Deputy Minister of Labour and Social Protection of Population, said the project reflected Turkmenistan’s “strong commitment to preventing child and forced labour, particularly in the cotton sector, and advancing decent work.”
Focus on the cotton harvest
The initiative will combine national-level policy support with practical work at local level, the EEAS said.
The project includes work to ensure the cotton harvest is carried out voluntarily and under fair and safe conditions, and to put systems in place to support worker protection, Miranda Fajerman, an ILO technical specialist on forced labour, said.
Beata Pęksa, the EU’s ambassador to Turkmenistan, said the project was part of broader cooperation between the EU and Turkmenistan and “advances labour and human rights while supporting sustainable and inclusive economic development.”
