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 participate fully in society due to their lack of legal status and recognition as refugees. In both contexts, language barriers reinforce that exclusion.
In March 2019, Translators without Borders (TWB) set out to understand what impact this has on Rohingya communities’ access to quality humanitarian services in Sittwe, Myanmar and Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh.
The findings aim to facilitate the delivery of effective humanitarian and social cohesion programming in support of Rohingya refugees and displaced people.
Read the three-part report, Misunderstanding + misinformation = mistrust, at the following links:
- Part I. Cross-border trends (English, Myanmar, Bangla)
- Part II. Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh (English, Bangla)
- Part III. Sittwe, Myanmar (English, Myanmar)
A set of language tools for humanitarian organizations in Rakhine State accompanies this analysis. These include a glossary of humanitarian terminology in Rohingya, Myanmar, Rakhine and English and sector-specific language guidance for health and education providers in Rakhine State. They complement the existing terminology resources and guidance for the refugee response in Bangladesh.
To learn more about TWB’s support for the Rohingya response, contact: bangladesh@translatorswithoutborders.org or myanmar@translatorswithoutborders.org.
More project resources:
- TWB glossary for Bangladesh (here)
- Rohingya language factsheet (available in English and Bangla)
- TWB health guide for Rakhine State (available in English and Myanmar)
- TWB education guide for Rakhine State (available in English and Myanmar)
- TWB guide on discussing WASH issues in the Rohingya language (available in English and Bangla)
- TWB guide on discussing gender in the Rohingya language (in English)
- TWB guide on discussing disability in the Rohingya language (in English)
- TWB guide on discussing nutrition in the Rohingya language (in English)
- TWB guide on discussing education in the Rohingya language (in English)