Misunderstanding + misinformation = mistrust
How language barriers reduce access to quality humanitarian services and aggravate social exclusion for Rohingya communities
Language is fundamental to humanitarian communication with crisis-affected people - and commonly overlooked
This is the case in the humanitarian response to the needs of displaced Rohingya in Bangladesh and Myanmar.
In 2019, Translators without Borders (TWB) studied the impact of language barriers for Rohingya on both sides of the Bangladesh/Myanmar border. We spoke to and surveyed refugees, internally displaced people, and humanitarian responders in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh, and Sittwe, Myanmar.
This storymap summarizes the key findings. More detail on findings and recommendations can be found in separate reports for Bangladesh and Myanmar and a summary crossborder report on our website . These resources are available in English, Bangla and Myanmar (Burmese). You can also download TWB's four-language glossary for the Rohingya response in Myanmar for use on mobile devices, and language guides for health and education.
How does language affect access to services for Rohingya communities in Bangladesh and Myanmar?
Our study built on TWB’s learning from the Rohingya response in Bangladesh.
It explored whether and how language barriers are impacting people’s access to humanitarian services. We also looked at the impact on intercommunal relations.
We did this through a combination of quantitative methods (surveys) and qualitative (interviews, focus groups, observation). See here for a detailed methodology.
Language is not the cause of exclusion for Rohingya communities. But it reinforces it.
The Rohingya are marginalized in Myanmar society, as reflected in their lack of legal status and recognition as citizens.
Across the border in Bangladesh, they are also unable to fully participate in society due to their lack of legal status and recognition as refugees. One result is to reduce their opportunities to learn other languages.
Rohingya in Rakhine State have little opportunity to learn Myanmar (Burmese) or Rakhine. Those in Bangladesh cannot readily learn Bangla. This locks in their exclusion through language.
Humanitarian communication can reinforce that exclusion, or promote better mutual understanding.
A generation of Rohingya are growing up unable to speak their neighbors’ language.
Monolingual Rohingya speakers struggle to access information and quality humanitarian services.
Most Rohingya are monolingual. They have to rely on bilinguals from their own and neighboring communities to communicate with service providers.
People with no or low education and little interaction with non-Rohingya communities are more likely to speak only Rohingya. These are largely people from rural areas, women, and newly arrived refugees in Cox’s Bazar.
Language barriers limit access to quality health services
The study identified common communication problems in humanitarian health services. These reduce effectiveness, trust, and ultimately access.
Language barriers limit access to quality education services
Providing a high-quality education for displaced Rohingya children is challenging in both Myanmar and Bangladesh.
Resource limitations and policy constraints are major factors in this. However, the challenges are compounded by cultural and language barriers.
Language barriers reinforce the exclusion of Rohingya in society
Forced displacement increases the need for communication across languages and cultures. It also increases potential for tension between communities.
Monolingual Rohingya rely on intermediaries to talk with humanitarian decision-makers or neighboring communities.
Policies that restrict or ban the learning of national languages will perpetuate that situation for future generations.
Humanitarian organizations need to be more aware of language and communication
Effective humanitarian communication that builds knowledge and trust uses languages and formats that are accessible to affected people.
It depends on:
- a clear source message
- the technical and interpersonal capacity of the people involved in the communication, and
- checking comprehension at each stage.
Effective communication means more inclusive, better-quality services
Humanitarian organizations can make that change:
- Develop communication materials in plain language.
- Train and support field staff and interpreters in language and cultural skills.
- Test comprehension and promote empathy with service users.
More fundamentally, language and cultural awareness should inform every aspect of program design, resourcing, and implementation.
When humanitarian communication is effective, under-served Rohingya can understand their options, make their needs and wishes heard, and build better relations with neighboring communities.
Translators without Borders believes that everyone has the right to give and receive information in a language and format they understand. We work with nonprofit partners and a global community of language professionals to build local language translation capacity, and raise awareness of language barriers. Originally founded in 1993 in France (as Traducteurs sans Frontières), TWB translates millions of words of lifesaving and life-changing information every year. In 2013, TWB created the first crisis relief translation service, Words of Relief, which has responded to crises every year since.
For more information about this study or to find out how TWB is supporting the Rohingya response in Bangladesh and Myanmar, visit our website or contact:
This project is funded by the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs and the UK Department for International Development. The views expressed in this report should not be taken, in any way, to reflect the official opinion of the Swiss Confederation, nor do the views expressed necessarily reflect the UK government’s official policies. The UK government and the Swiss confederation are not responsible for any use that may be made of the information contained in this report.
