Cotton is a commodity at the center of the global economy, yet cotton production is plagued by egregious human rights violations. Under the United Nations Guiding Principles for Business and Human Rights, states, companies, and civil society all have key roles to play to ensure respect for fundamental human rights in the global economy. This panel discusses the sustainability challenges facing the modern global cotton trade and its implications for companies, governments, and civil society.

Moderators:

1.     Judy Gearhart – Executive Director, International Labor Rights Forum

2.     Kirill Boychenko – Cotton Campaign Coordinator

Panel:

3.     Andy Shen – Senior Legal & Policy Analyst, International Labor Rights Forum

4.     Allison Gill – Uzbek-German Forum for Human Rights

5.     Jessica Evans – Human Rights Watch

6.     Mike Hogan – Applied DNA Sciences

Livestream video of the panel: