On November 2-3, 2026, a two-day regional workshop titled "Preventing Human Trafficking and Labour Exploitation in Tourism and Hospitality Supply Chains in Central Asia," was organised in Tashkent. Representatives from government agencies, international organizations, the tourism and hospitality industries, and civil society from Central Asian countries gathered to discuss practical measures to prevent human trafficking and labour exploitation in tourism and hospitality supply chains.
The workshop focused on practical measures to combat trafficking in human beings and labour exploitation, strengthen the protection of workers and children, and promote responsible business practices across the tourism and hospitality sectors. Participants discussed national approaches to preventing human trafficking and labour exploitation in Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan. In their presentations state officials highlighted the importance of effective labour inspection, law enforcement, interagency co-operation, and compliance with labour legislations. International experts also shared their perspectives on human rights due diligence in business operations, responsible tourism, and the protection of workers in vulnerable situations, as well as the implementation of child safeguarding and protection measures in tourism and hospitality services and close coordination with civil society.
"Guests should be able to trust that the people cleaning their rooms and preparing their meals are treated fairly," said Ambassador Antti Karttunen, OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan. "Protecting people is also an investment in tourism, a sector that creates jobs and supports the country's economy."
As Fabian Bonertz, Senior Adviser and Supply Chains Project Lead at the OSCE Office of the Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings, noted, tourism growth must go hand in hand with the protection of workers' rights. By strengthening human rights due diligence, promoting responsible recruitment and improving co-operation across supply chains, we can help ensure that the benefits of tourism are not built on the exploitation of vulnerable workers.
Participants developed recommendations to prevent human trafficking and labour exploitation in tourism and hospitality supply chains. Through group exercises and regional discussions, they identified ways to make supply chains more transparent and improve co-operation among authorities, businesses and civil society.
The event was organized by the OSCE Office of the Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings (OSR/CTHB) in close co-operation with the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan and in partnership with the National Commission on Combating Human Trafficking and Decent Work, with the support of the OSCE Programme Office in Astana, the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek, the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe, and the Embassy of Germany in Uzbekistan.
