VZCZCXYZ0005
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHCH #0062/01 0341239
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 031239Z FEB 10
FM AMEMBASSY CHISINAU
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 8831
RUEHC/DEPT OF LABOR WASHINGTON DC
INFO RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 0001

UNCLAS CHISINAU 000062 
 
DEPT PASS TO DOL FOR ILAB LEYLA STROTKAMP, RACHEL 
RIGBY, 
AND TINA MCCARTER 
DEPT FOR DRL/ILCSR SARAH MORGAN 
DEPT ALSO FOR G/TIP MARK TAYLOR AND LUIS CDEBACA 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ELAB EIND ETRD KTIP PHUM SOCI MD
SUBJECT:  MOLDOVA'S INFORMATION ON CHILD LABOR AND 
FORCED LABOR FOR DOL CONGRESSIONAL REPORTING 
REQUIREMENTS 
 
REF:  09 STATE 131995 
 
¶1. In order to obtain information for this cable, 
Econoff contacted the International Labor 
Organization Office -International Program on the 
Elimination of Child Labor (ILO-IPEC) in Moldova, 
the Ministry of Labor, Social Protection and 
Family, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the 
General Prosecutor's Office (GPO), the National 
Statistics Bureau (NSB) and members of the 
National Steering Committee for ILO-IPEC.  All 
agencies and organizations were very helpful in 
compiling this report for Tasking 1 (1/TVPRA) on 
the use of force labor and/or exploitive child 
labor in the production of goods and for Tasking 2 
(2/TDA) on additional information on exploitive 
child labor for countries eligible for trade 
benefits under the Generalized System of 
Preferences and other trade programs.  Specific 
answers to the questions in reftel begin here. 
 
TASKING 1/TVPRA 
--------------- 
 
¶2. There is very little evidence of forced labor 
or exploitative child labor in the production of 
goods in Moldova for export or domestic 
consumption.  Cases of children doing agricultural 
labor for their parents on bona fide family farms 
do exist in Moldova, a practice that is very 
common throughout the country.  However, this 
practice cannot be applied to any specific goods. 
Moldova's efforts at eliminating child work in 
agriculture were appraised as successful at the 
ILO's Eighth European Regional Meeting in Lisbon 
in February 2009. 
http://www.ilo.org/public/english/region/eurp ro/ge 
neva/download/events/lisbon2009/dgreport2_ru. pdf 
(Russian version) 
¶3. Moldova was severely affected by the global 
financial crisis and experienced a drop of nine 
percent in GDP in 2009.  According to the recent 
UNDP study "Impact of the Global Financial Crisis 
on the Local Communities in Moldova," some parents 
stated that they would have to ask their children 
to work in order to sustain family income. 
http://www.undp.md/presscentre/2009/ILDP_Repo rt_Cr 
isis/Report_impact_financial_crisis_eng.pdf 
 
TASKING 2/TDA 
------------- 
 
2A) PREVALENCE AND SECTORIAL DISTRIBUTION OF 
EXPLOITIVE CHILD LABOR 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
------- 
 
¶4. In 2009, some children were involved in 
trafficking, prostitution, and begging whereby a 
child is usually together with the mother begging 
on streets in Moldova. 
 
¶5. The Government of Moldova (GOM) is willing to 
provide its data on exploitive child labor to the 
DOL for further analysis.  Moldova has a Labor 
Inspection Office (LIO) in the Ministry of Labor, 
Social Protection and Family, which is responsible 
for investigating all cases of possible labor 
violations, including those related to child 
labor.  The GOM collects and publishes some data 
on exploitive child labor.  However, the data 
stems from various sources and is not easily 
compiled into comprehensive reports. 
 
¶6. Beginning in May 2010, the GOM expects to have 
better statistics on child labor as the result of 
a new National Child Labor Study (NCLS) which it 
began in July 2009 and will complete in May 2010. 
The NSB is conducting the NCLS in partnership with 
ILO-IPEC.  ILO-IPEC statisticians visited Moldova 
in April and July 2009 to provide technical 
assistance to the NSB in developing the research 
methodology for the NCLS as a separate module of a 
broader Labor Force Survey of 12,500 households. 
 
 
 
2B) LAWS AND REGULATIONS 
------------------------ 
 
¶7. In January 2009, a new provision of the Law on 
Labor Force Migration came into force, which is 
designed to ensure better protection and care of 
children left behind by migrant parents working 
and living abroad.  The new provision requires 
parents to legally designate a caretaker for 
children left behind in Moldova. 
 
¶8. In January 2009, a Law on Occupational Safety 
and Health came into force, Article 22, which 
includes child laborers in the category of 
vulnerable groups that should be protected against 
specific risks at workplaces. 
 
¶9. In February 2009, a parliamentary decision on 
the adoption of the Strategy on the National 
Referral System for Protection and Assistance of 
Victims and Potential Victims of Trafficking (NRS) 
and its Action Plan for 2009-2011 entered into 
force.  The NRS is a collaborative framework 
including institutions responsible for combating 
trafficking in human beings based on common 
organizational standards designed locally in 
harmony with international standards.  The NRS was 
integrated into the GOMQs National Development 
Plan for the period of 2008 to 2011, which is the 
major guiding policy for the GOM. 
 
¶10. On May 31, 2009, a new version of the Code on 
Contraventions came into force, which replaced the 
previous Soviet version in effect since 1985. 
Articles 55 and 58 of the new Code stipulate fines 
for the violation of labor rights, including 
provisions for violations of the rights of minors. 
Article 63 in the code stipulates a fine for 
parents or legal guardians who violate children's 
rights to care and education and/or whose children 
enter vagrancy, begging, and illicit activities. 
http://lex.justice.md/index.php?action=view&v iew=d 
oc&lang=1&id=330333  (Romanian and Russian) 
 
¶11. In July 2009, the Collective Convention in the 
Construction Sector for 2009-2013 came into force 
with provisions against the worst forms of child 
labor. 
 
¶12. The GOM is currently working on a draft law to 
amend Article 46 of the Labor Code, which 
stipulates that the minimum age for employment in 
Moldova is 16.  As an exception, a 15 year old 
child can sign a work contract if his/her health 
will not be endangered and if the work will not 
interfere with the child's growth, instruction, 
education and professional development.  The child 
must have written consent from a parent or legal 
guardian.  The new amendment to Article 46 will 
exclude this existing exception.  As a result of 
the adoption of the new amendment, the minimum 
employment age in Moldova will be 16 for all 
children. 
 
2C) INSTITUTIONS AND MECHANISMS FOR ENFORCEMENT - 
HAZARDOUS CHILD LABOR AND FORCED CHILD LABOR 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
 
¶13. Moldova has a Labor Inspection Office (LIO) 
responsible for investigating all cases of 
possible labor violations, including those related 
to child labor.  The new GOM, which took office 
September 25, 2009, consolidated all offices 
overseeing child labor violations in an effort to 
streamline enforcement.  Labor issues which had 
been previously split between the Ministry of 
Labor, Social Protection and Family and the 
Ministry of Economy were consolidated into the 
Ministry of Labor, Social Protection and Family. 
 
¶14. In 2007, a Child Labor Unit (CLU) was set up 
within the LIO.  The CLU includes two persons who 
act as a secretariat for the National Steering 
 
 
Committee on the Elimination of Child Labor which 
was established in 2004.  The secretariat is 
responsible for developing, implementing and 
monitoring the national effort to eradicate child 
labor in Moldova. 
 
¶15. The Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) has 
dedicated offices for overseeing children's issues 
with responsibility for dealing with children's 
rights, life and health protection, and combating 
hazardous and forced child labor. 
 
¶16. In November 2009, the second Memorandum of 
Understanding between ILO-IPEC and GOM came into 
force.  The memorandum will be effective for five 
years. 
In addition to ILO-IPEC, there are several NGOs in 
Moldova dealing with child labor issues including 
the National Center for Child Abuse Prevention 
(NCCAP), the Center for Prevention of Trafficking 
in Women and La Strada.  There is also a 
parliamentary ombudsman for children's rights. 
http://www.crin.org/organisations/vieworg.asp ?id=4 
¶595. 
 
¶17. The National Steering Committee for ILO-IPEC 
was set up in 2004 based on the first Memorandum 
of Understanding between ILO-IPEC and the GOM. 
The Committee held 14 meetings over the period 
2006Q2009. 
 
¶18. Multidisciplinary teams (MDTs), created under 
the ILO-IPEC Project in 2005, are currently 
functional in five target areas on a pilot basis. 
Within the local Child Labor Monitoring System 
(CLMS), the MDTs organized and documented 176 
half-day operational meetings and 27 local 
meetings with peer educators groups and members of 
five municipal and districts anti-trafficking 
committees in 2009.  The meetings contributed to 
the referral of 877 cases.  These cases consisted 
of 102 victims of worst forms of child labor, six 
victims of child trafficking and 769 children at 
risk.  Attorneys from the GPO also participated in 
MDTs meetings, where cases and causes of child 
abuses were examined, including child labor 
issues. 
 
¶19. A Permanent Tripartite Council on Child Labor 
within the National Commission for Consultations 
and Collective Bargaining was formed in February 
¶2009.  The Council includes six members, 
representing the GOM, workers and employers' 
organizations. 
¶20. A group of national experts on child labor was 
approved by the GOM in May 2009.  The experts 
expressed their commitment to continue their 
successful work towards a Moldova free of worst 
forms of child labor by 2016. 
 
¶21. The project "Development, Awareness Raising 
and Support for the Implementation of the Global 
Action Plan on the Elimination of the Worst Forms 
of Child Labor by 2016" (GAP Project), funded by 
the USDOL, began in April 2008 and will end in 
September 2010.  The GAP Project aims to set time- 
bound targets for the elimination of the worst 
forms of child labor in Moldova through the 
formulation of a comprehensive National Action 
Plan (NAP) to eliminate child labor in Moldova. 
The timeframe for the NAP will be determined 
during the formulation process.  The NAP will 
define specific, measurable, achievable, relevant 
and time-bound indicators and means of 
verification for the elimination of child labor. 
 
¶22. The Ministry of Labor, Social Protection and 
Family is the key agency in terms of collecting 
relevant information from other agencies and NGOs. 
The NSB is currently in the process of collecting 
information under the National Child Labor Study. 
Following completion of the study in 2010, ILO and 
NGOs expect the mechanism for exchanging 
information on child labor to be improved in 
 
 
Moldova. 
 
¶23. In addition to contacting the police, LIO, and 
NCCP, there are three major hotlines for reporting 
labor violations, including child labor issues. 
They are the LIO hotline, the Day Care Center for 
Children 'AMICUL' hotline funded by NCCAP, and the 
La Strada hotline.  The LIO hotline gets an 
average of 20 calls per day on various labor 
related issues, roughly 5,000 per year.  In 
2009, only two cases of child labor were referred 
to the LIO hotline.  In one case, children were 
working at a bakery during the night and, in the 
second, children were involved in field work 
during school hours.  In 2009, the Consultative 
Telephone Line for the Referral of Potential Cases 
of Child Neglect and Abuse, operated by the staff 
of AMICUL, registered 254 calls, including 27 
cases of child trafficking, 66 cases of hazardous 
child labor work and 155 cases of physical, 
emotional and sexual abuse and neglect.  The La 
Strada hotline received 341 calls for the period 
January 1-August 31, 2009. 
http://lastrada.md/date/statistica/  In August 
2009, a new hotline called 'ChildQs Telephone' was 
introduced by an initiative of the childrenQs 
rights ombudswoman, Tamara Plamadeala, supported 
by the OSCE Mission to Moldova. 
 
¶24. The exact amount of state funding provided to 
the agencies combating child labor is not 
available.  However, in the current economic 
crisis funding is limited. 
 
¶25. Elements of the IPEC model interventions 
against worst forms of child labor were replicated 
in the VET Project implemented by Hifab 
International from January 2006 to December 2009 
with a budget of EURO 1.5 million (USD 2.216 
million) and the UNDP project "Better 
Opportunities for Women and Youth" from October 
2004 to March 2009 with a budget of USD 3.5 
million. 
 
¶26. The MIA reported 6,572 inspections of 
different localities frequented by youth including 
recreation areas, internet cafes and gambling 
machines.  In most cases, the MIA inspections were 
carried out together with representatives of other 
institutions responsible for children's rights, 
including LIO staff and local government 
representatives. 
 
¶27. The LIO has 96 employees, 15 of whom work in 
the main office and 81 officers posted in ten 
offices throughout the country.  LIO employees 
investigate all types of labor violations, 
including those related to child labor.  LIO notes 
in its 2009 report, that a total of 7,073 
inspections occurred and 68,727 violations were 
noted, including 38,071 in labor protection 
issues.  The inspections were carried out in 
different sectors, including those where children 
worked.  As a result of LIO inspections, 30 
companies were found to be employing 102 persons 
under the age of 18.  Over one third of the 
minors, 40, worked in agriculture, 35 minors 
worked in the textile industry, 19 minors worked 
as supporting labor, five minors were barmen and 
cooks, and three minors worked in construction. 
 
¶28. In 2009, LIO identified cases of violations of 
the rules regarding employees younger than 18 
years of age.  LIO reported on eight economic 
entities where 10 persons under 18 years of age 
did not have all the necessary documents for their 
employment.  Other cases included a range of 
violations, including the transportation and sale 
of alcohol and tobacco items, working under 
dangerous conditions, not having the required 
medical examinations prior to employment, working 
fulltime, not receiving annual leave, or being 
denied the compensation provided by law.  The ILO 
inspectors initiated reviews which resulted in 
 
 
administrative sanctions against the companies and 
orders to eliminate all violations including the 
removal of children under age 18 from dangerous 
work conditions and night shifts. 
 
¶29. According to ILO-IPEC data, in the period from 
February 2008 to June 2009, 877 cases of 
violations of children's rights were registered, 
including 102 cases of worst forms of child labor, 
six cases of child trafficking and 769 cases of 
children at risk.  The data showed that 92 
children were withdrawn from situations of worst 
forms of child labor (hazardous child labor in 
agriculture, street work and trafficking) and 486 
children were prevented from entering into worst 
forms of child labor by means of educational 
services and other non-educational services.  In 
addition, 12 children were removed from worst 
forms of child labor and 283 children were 
prevented from entering worst forms of child labor 
by non-educational services, e.g. job counseling 
sessions. 
 
¶30. In 2009, the MIA made 4,907 findings of 
administrative violations of Article 63 of the 
Contravention Code, which refers to parental 
negligence. The MIA inspectors recorded four 
findings of administrative violations of Article 
58 of the Contravention Code, which refers to the 
prohibition of work in conditions dangerous to the 
health of minors.  One case was registered in 
Chisinau, the capital city, and three cases in the 
southern part of Moldova, in the Ceadir-Lunga 
district.  Two cases of forced child labor were 
opened.  One case was of forced child labor in 
agriculture, involving three minors and a second 
case of begging.  The second case was remitted to 
courts for further examination.  One case in 
agriculture was closed by amicable agreement.  The 
activities of authorities in enforcing laws to 
combat exploitive child labor reflect a commitment 
by the GOM to eliminate child labor. 
 
¶31. In 2007, the LIO, with the support of ILO- 
IPEC, developed a country-specific Training 
Curriculum for Labor Inspectors on combating child 
labor.  This curriculum is used to train labor 
inspectors from the LIO regional offices.  Three 
Moldovan universities mainstream child labor 
issues into the curricula of their psychology and 
social work departments.  In June 2009, the 
National Confederation of Trade Unions in Moldova 
organized a one-day roundtable on the "Social 
Responsibility of Trade Unions and Elimination of 
Worst Forms of Child Labor" to stimulate debate on 
the issue and implementation of codes of conduct 
against child labor.  The roundtable participants 
were from employers' organizations, public 
institutions, NGOs and ILO.  The event was well 
covered by media. 
 
¶32. In June 2009, a half-day workshop to present 
employersQ experience in combating the worst forms 
of child labor in agriculture was organized by the 
National Federation of Employers in Agriculture 
and Food Industry. The federation, employers' 
organizations, public institutions and ILO 
discussed the findings of the monitoring report on 
the implementation of the code of conduct for 
employers against worst forms of child labor in 
agriculture.  The event, including interviews with 
international and local ILO staff, was well 
covered by media. 
 
¶33. The International Organization for Migration 
supported ILO-IPEC partners in training 11 of 17 
MDTs on ways to tackle cases of child abuse and 
worst forms of child labor. 
 
¶34. Under the ILO-IPEC Action Program for 
"Mainstreaming, Capacity Building and Resources 
Mobilization for Upscaling the Child Labor 
Monitoring System (CLMS) and Youth Employment 
Models in Moldova," a total of 99 representatives 
 
 
from relevant public institutions and NGOs from 
five IPEC areas benefited from capacity building 
activities between February 2008 and June 2009. 
These activities were aimed at increasing outreach 
in five areas, scaling up the CLMS and youth 
employment models in all areas of Moldova and 
establishing strategic priorities for sustainable 
prevention and combating of child labor beyond the 
timeframe of the IPEC Action Plan in Moldova. 
 
¶35. In 2005, the Child Labor Monitoring Guide was 
developed and published as part of the IPEC 
program implemented by the NCCAP.  The Guide was 
used for the training of multidisciplinary 
professionals, involved in child labor monitoring, 
and social workers from all areas of Moldova. 
Improving the CLMS has been declared a priority by 
the NSC for ILO-IPEC. 
 
2D) INSTITUTIONAL MECHANISMS FOR EFFECTIVE 
ENFORCEMENT - CHILD TRAFFICKING, COMMERCIAL SEXUAL 
EXPLOITATION OF CHILDREN 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
------- 
 
¶36. The Center for Combating Trafficking in 
Persons is responsible for the enforcement of laws 
prohibiting trafficking including child 
trafficking.  The Center for Assistance to Victims 
and Potential Victims of Trafficking in Human 
Beings was set up by a GOM decision in July 2008. 
In April 2008, the GOM appointed members to the 
National Committee on Prevention and Combating of 
Trafficking in Human Beings, approved the 
regulations for its functioning and approved the 
Action Plan for Prevention and Combating of 
Trafficking in Human Beings for 2008-2009. 
¶37. The trafficking of children for the purpose of 
commercial sexual exploitation and begging 
remained a serious problem in 2009.  According to 
MIA data, 21 cases of trafficking of minors were 
opened during the year, including 14 cases of 
trafficking for sexual exploitation, three cases 
for labor exploitation, one for sale of a child 
and one for begging purposes.  All 21 cases were 
forwarded to the courts for prosecution.  The 
Ministry of Justice reported that five persons 
were sentenced to imprisonment for child 
trafficking during the year. 
¶38. In 2009, there were reports of cases of child 
prostitution in Moldova.  Commercial sex with 
minors is punished as statutory rape.  The minimum 
age for consensual sex is sixteen.  The law 
prohibits production, distribution, broadcasting, 
import, export, sale, exchange, use or possession 
of child pornography and violators face one to 
three years of imprisonment.  According to MIA 
data, police recorded four cases of pimping with 
minors in 2009.  All the cases were forwarded for 
prosecution. 
¶39. The estimates of working-age Moldovans living 
and working abroad ranges from 500,000 to 
1,000,000.  As a result of this phenomenon, tens 
of thousands of children lived in households where 
one or both parents had left the country in search 
of work.  Such children often live in poverty and 
are particularly vulnerable to trafficking, labor 
and sexual exploitation. 
¶40. Moldova did not experience armed conflict over 
the reporting period.  The last armed conflict in 
Moldova occurred in 1992. 
 
2E) GOVERNMENT POLICIES ON CHILD LABOR 
-------------------------------------- 
 
¶41. In February 2009, Parliament approved the 
National Youth Strategy and Action Plan for 2009- 
2013, which took effect in April 2009.  In 
December 2008, Parliament adopted the Strategy on 
the Referral System for Protection and Assistance 
of Victims and Potential Victims of Trafficking 
2009-2011 which has been in effect since February 
¶2009.  In December 2008, the GOM approved the 
National Plan on the Creation of an Integrated 
 
 
Social Services System 2008-2012, which provides 
for diversification of social services for victims 
of trafficking, violence and worst forms of child 
labor, and mapping the cost of the interventions 
piloted by NGOs and state institutions and their 
countrywide strengthening by the GOM.  In December 
2008, the GOM approved the National Action Plan 
for Preventing and Combating Violence against 
Children for 2009-2011.  In December 2008, members 
of the Global Compact Network in Moldova signed 
the Code of Conduct for Elimination of the Worst 
Forms in Child.  The National Action Plan for 
Preventing and Combating Trafficking in Human 
Beings for 2008-2009 was approved by the GOM in 
March 2008.  The National Strategy on Reform of 
the Child Care Residential System for 2007-2012 
was approved by the GOM in July 2007. 
 
2F) SOCIAL PROGRAMS TO ELIMINATE OR PREVENT CHILD 
LABOR 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
----- 
 
¶42. One of the main tasks of the Ministry for 
Labor, Social Protection and Family is to 
consolidate the GOM's child labor programs under 
one umbrella and develop and implement policies on 
social insurance, social assistance, protection of 
the rights of children and family, gender 
equality, prevention of domestic violence and 
social protection of victims.  The Ministry 
created district-level directorates in 2008 to 
better meet these responsibilities.  Important 
measures aimed at the prevention and elimination 
of child labor was undertaken within the Action 
Plan "Replication to National Scale of ILO-IPEC 
Models to Monitor the Child Labour (SMMC) and 
Youth Employment through Capacity Building, 
Integration of Models in the Relevant Programs and 
Mobilization of Resources,Q implemented by the 
NCCAP in cooperation with ILO-IPEC.  For the 
period February 2008 to June 2009, children and 
youth benefited from the following activities and 
services offered by NCCAP:  276 children received 
individual tutoring in subjects studied in school 
and worked on developing work skills and 152 
children benefited from referrals to the 
educational system to support schooling and 
prevent school drop-outs.  The individual 
necessities of every child, including school 
supplies, textbooks, clothes, footwear, were 
provided by multidisciplinary teams.  300 children 
benefited from sessions of interactive activities 
in support groups that facilitated their social 
reintegration.  449 youth benefited from 
individual education and job counselling support. 
Later, 154 of them benefited from vocational 
training provided by the National Employment 
Agency. 
 
¶43. According to Ministry of Labor, Social 
Protection and Family data, as of August 2009, 877 
minors directly benefited from NCCAP and IPC 
programs, including 563 prevented from engaging in 
hazardous work in agriculture,  204 prevented from 
engaging in hazardous work and illegal street 
activities and 110 prevented from engaging in 
trafficking.  Further, 3044 children, teachers and 
parents in five territories participated in 
informative meetings on the consequences of child 
labor exploitation. 
¶44. In June 2009, a one-week workshop for a 
ChildrenQs Working Group (CWG) for the monitoring 
of the ChildrenQs Rights Convention in Moldova, 
was organized by the Children's Rights Information 
Center in Chisinau to facilitate the sharing of 
childrenQs observations on child labor 
exploitation.  The CWG for the monitoring of the 
ChildrenQs Rights Convention was created in 2008. 
The CWG prepared the ChildrenQs Report "Life 
through ChildrenQs Eyes" presented last year to 
the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child. 
http://www.childrights.md/ro/index.shtml 
 
 
¶45. In July 2007, the GOM, National Confederation 
of Employers, Trade Unions Confederation and Free 
Trade Union Confederation "Solidaritate" signed 
the Collective Convention "On the Elimination of 
the Worst Forms of Child Labour."  The Convention 
provides a range of actions aimed at progressively 
improving the situation in the child labor domain 
and ultimately eliminating the worst forms of 
child labor. 
 
2G) CONTINUAL PROGRESS 
---------------------- 
 
¶46. The GOM works in partnership with 
international organizations and NGOs in order to 
increase the awareness of child labor issues and 
to support low-income families in Moldova.  The 
GOM engages in social dialog with employers' 
organizations and tries to develop new approaches 
to prevent and eliminate exploitive child labor in 
Moldova.  There is currently ongoing debate on the 
inclusion of a new provision for nominations of 
the best company of the year in Moldova.  The new 
provision would require that the best company be 
certified free of child labor. 
 
¶47. The GOM continued to take positive legislative 
and regulatory steps in 2009 to address problems 
in combating exploitive child labor.  However, the 
lack of government funding, poverty, the customary 
employment of children, especially during the 
harvest, cultural norms which regard child labor 
as a normal part of growing up, lack of accurate 
data and administrative incapacity often make 
implementation of existing laws and regulations 
difficult. 
 
CHAUDHRY