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 II: COX’S BAZAR, BANGLADESH 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 Children learn the Arabic alphabet at a madrassa in a Bangladeshi community neighboring the refugee camps in Cox's Bazar. Credit: TWB / Fahim Hasan Ahad 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 ..................................... 18 Language barriers hinder the inclusion of Rohingya communities in Bangladesh today and in Myanmar tomorrow ........................................................26 Language skills determine access and status in Bangladesh ...................................... 27 Language determines future integration efforts in Myanmar ...................................... 29 Naming conventions reinforce intercommunal divisions ............................................. 30 Cultural understanding breaks down intercommunal barriers .................................... 31 Effective humanitarian communication depends on clear messages and high professional capacity ......................33 English- and Rohingya-speaking communicators rely on intermediaries speaking Chittagonian and Bangla ................................................... 33 Unclear communication and low capacity can lead to misinformation, mistrust, and power imbalances...................................................... 39 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 If a language or ethnicity 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 Chittagonian speaker may interviewees. For example, Rohingya. be ethnic Rohingya. Also, local and non-local Bangladeshi. 4 Executive summary through other people. The groups that “A language should are most commonly monolingual are have its own also disadvantaged in other ways. This language dependency reinforces their exclusivity… Until relative lack of power and agency. today language is the Forced displacement increases reliance only anthropological on others from outside the Rohingya element to identify community for support. This makes it even more essential for them to them as Rohingya. communicate across languages and cultures. The role of intermediaries One Rohingya can becomes more important and the risk of be separated from a exclusion for monolinguals even greater. Bangladeshi only with Effective two-way communication is his or her language. a key component of user-centered, equitable service provision and So we do not want them accountable humanitarian action. In to mix up with our the linguistically diverse humanitarian response, organizations struggle to language and culture.” get that communication right. The result is reduced access to quality - A Bangla speaking services, further exclusion, and government official missed opportunities to help improve intercommunal relations. The Rohingya are marginalized in Myanmar society, as reflected in their Humanitarian organizations in Cox's Bazar lack of legal status and recognition as District can improve communication citizens. Across the border in Bangladesh, with Rohingya refugee communities they are also unable to fully participate by increasing staff language capacity, in society due to their lack of legal cultural awareness, and knowledge status and recognition as refugees. One of interpreting principles. consequence of this is to reduce their opportunities to learn other languages More fundamentally, language and such as Bangla or Chittagonian. This cultural awareness should inform every locks in their exclusion through language. aspect of program design, resourcing, and implementation. That is how we Monolingual Rohingya in the Cox's Bazar ensure that under-served Rohingya can refugee camps and host communities understand their options, make their have difficulty accessing information, needs and wishes heard, and build better voicing their needs and wishes or relations with neighboring communities. engaging with decision-makers except 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 glossaries of humanitarian terms. be 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 for scope for standardizing Rohingya home language (Rohingya) to as a language of instruction. national language (Myanmar) as the language of instruction 6. Develop social cohesion