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Misunderstanding + Misinformation = Mistrust

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Misunderstanding + Misinformation = Mistrust Misunderstanding + misinformation = mistrust: How language barriers reduce access to humanitarian services, reduce the quality of those services and aggravate social exclusion for Rohingya communities PART III: SITTWE, MYANMAR September 2019 1 A three-part report Translators without Borders (TWB) is We are grateful to the many organizations pleased to launch a three-part report and individuals that supported or and accompanying language guidance participated in this study. on an innovative cross-border study. The series explores the role of language The cross-border study was conducted in humanitarian service access and and authored by a TWB team in Myanmar community relations in Cox’s Bazar, and Bangladesh. Many others also Bangladesh and Sittwe, Myanmar. contributed feedback and valuable comments to the final series of reports. • Part I. Cross-border trends: Challenging trends in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh and Sittwe, Myanmar • Part II. Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh: Findings from Bangladesh including sections on challenges, adaptive programming, and recommendations • Part III. Sittwe, Myanmar: Findings from Myanmar including sections on challenges, adaptive programming, and recommendations A local roadside scene in the Sittwe rural camps. 2 Table of Contents Methods and further information .......................................................4 Usage ............................................................................................................4 Executive summary .................................................................................5 Recommendations ...................................................................................6 Language barriers limit access to quality services .....................8 Language barriers limit access to quality health services............................................ 8 Language barriers limit access to quality education services ..................................... 17 Communicating effectively with the community............................................................ 25 Language barriers reinforce the exclusion of Rohingya in Myanmar society .........................................................25 Language skills determine access and status ................................................................. 25 Humanitarian programming can perpetuate language-based exclusion.................. 26 Naming conventions reinforce intercommunal divisions ............................................. 26 Maramagyi, Hindu, and Kaman communities are potential cultural mediators between Rohingya and Rakhine communities.............................. 28 Many Rohingya are excluded from peace-related and civil-society programming ........................................................................................... 30 Cultural understanding breaks down intercommunal barriers .................................... 32 Effective humanitarian communication depends on clear messages and high professional capacity ......................34 English- and Rohingya-speaking communicators rely on Rakhine and Myanmar intermediaries ......................................................................... 34 Unclear communication and low capacity can lead to misinformation, mistrust, and power imbalances...................................................... 40 Humanitarians appear to misunderstand the language and literacy skills of displaced people ...................................................... 40 3 Methods and further information Detailed information on methods and limitations is available at https://translatorswithoutborders.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Methods-and- limitations_Cross-Border.pdf. For detail on the languages of the Rohingya response in Bangladesh and Myanmar, see https://translatorswithoutborders.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Languages-in-the- Rohingya-response_Cross-Border.pdf. Usage Language and ethnicity names: Language speakers: The terms "English We use the official language or ethnicity speaker," "Myanmar speaker," "Rakhine name designated by the national speaker," "Rohingya speaker," refer to a government in Bangladesh or Myanmar person who is most comfortable speaking respectively. For example, we use Bangla the given language. instead of Bengali and Myanmar instead of Burmese. This does not imply that the person is a native speaker of that language or that In the case that a language is not officially their ethnicity necessarily mirrors the recognized, we use the name recognized language they are most comfortable in American English or the preferred speaking unless otherwise stated. For term of self-identification used by example, a Rakhine speaker may be interviewees. For example, Rohingya. ethnic Rohingya. 4 Executive summary language dependency reinforces their “We speak a hala hotha relative lack of power and agency. [black language]... Forced displacement increases reliance That’s what we call on others from outside the Rohingya languages that don’t community for support. This makes it even more essential for them to have too much power. communicate across languages and Our language cultures. The role of intermediaries becomes more important and the risk of is one of them.” exclusion for monolinguals even greater. - A Rohingya man aged Effective two-way communication is between 25 and 49 a key component of user-centered, equitable service provision and accountable humanitarian action. In The Rohingya are marginalized in the linguistically diverse humanitarian Myanmar society, as reflected in their response in both countries, organizations lack of legal status and recognition as struggle to get that communication citizens. Across the border in Bangladesh, right. The result is reduced access to they are also unable to fully participate quality services, further exclusion, and in society due to their lack of legal status missed opportunities to help improve and recognition as refugees. intercommunal relations. One consequence of this is to reduce Humanitarian organizations can their opportunities to learn other improve communication effectiveness languages such as Myanmar or Bangla. by increasing staff language capacity, This locks in their exclusion through cultural awareness, and knowledge of language. interpreting principles. Monolingual Rohingya in both countries More fundamentally, language and are unable to access information, voice cultural awareness should inform every their needs and wishes, or engage aspect of program design, resourcing, with decision-makers except through and implementation. That is how we other people. The groups that are ensure that under-served Rohingya can most commonly monolingual are also understand their options, make their disadvantaged in other ways. This needs and wishes heard, and build better relations with neighboring communities. 5 Recommendations This assessment highlights ways in 3. Test comprehension which humanitarian organizations can of critical messages communicate more effectively with the Develop and test message banks affected population. to see which messages are best understood, convey the intended 1. Apply plain language principles meaning, and resonate with target Develop information, education and groups. Whenever possible, co-design communication materials in plain or co-redesign messages with language, especially those intended community members. This will also for the Rohingya community. Explain help to track progress and raise concepts using familiar words and awareness of the importance of clear sentence structure. Avoid or clear messaging. Ultimately this explain technical jargon and words should increase the effectiveness that are not commonly used. Ensure of humanitarian communication content is field-tested, appropriate for practices over time. the intended audience, and addresses key community concerns. (For an 4. Promote and support empathy overview of plain language principles, with service users and see https://translatorswithoutborders. understanding of their needs org/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/ Train and brief service providers in Basic-plain-language-principles-for- language and cultural awareness. humanitarians.pdf) Enable them to apply that learning by designing programs to allow 2. Invest in formal training for adequate time for communication. interpreters and field staff In health clinics, for instance, this in language and cultural skills means organizations should plan Assess Rohingya language skills as for doctors to spend longer with part of staff recruitment, and engage patients, especially new patients. It Rohingya staff and volunteers to is common for interpreting into an support community engagement. unstandardized language to take Training and support programs a few minutes longer. Plan for any can build interpreters’ and field interpreted meeting or gathering, workers’ capacity, including in such as focus groups, to take at least complex terminology such as health twice as long. As far as possible, interpreters may require. This can don’t rush interactions with Rohingya draw on tools like TWB’s multilingual community members: it can readily be glossaries of humanitarian terms. taken as rude and disrespectful. Humanitarian organizations can foster cross-cultural communication skills by encouraging collaboration between Rohingya staff and volunteers and those from other backgrounds. 6 5. Design a bridging strategy Rohingya community to explore from Rohingya to the other scope for standardizing Rohingya languages of instruction as a language of instruction. (Myanmar
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