In northeast Nigeria, humanitarian organizations are working to support some 1.9 million internally displaced people (IDPs) and the communities hosting them. But language is a challenge: in this linguistically diverse part of the world, people forced from their homes don’t always speak the same language as the people around them. International aid organizations may lack the skills to communicate with everyone in their own mother tongue. They often also lack information about the language and communication needs of affected people. Following an assessment in July 2017, TWB has deployed a crisis response team to support humanitarian organizations and other service providers to effectively communicate in a wider range of local languages. Check out our resources below helping communities affected by conflict and displacement access critical information and claim their rights in a language they understand.
Additional resources
Improving access and trust in humanitarian complaints and feedback systems in northeast Nigeria: research brief
Technology could be part of the solution to current language, trust, and confidentiality barriers in northeast Nigeria and Beyond. We heard from internally displaced people (IDPs) and humanitarians in northeast Nigeria on how complaints and feedback mechanisms currently work. Research participants described an environment in which access barriers exclude sections of the population.
Read the research brief and recommendations for humanitarian organizations (in English)
Learning review research for TWB trained community-based interpreters in Nigeria
This report evaluates community-based interpreter training undertaken as part of the PROSPINE+ partners programme. Sixty-four community-based interpreters of minority language attended 7 separate 2-day training sessions in Maiduguri, Bama (Borno state) and Damaturu (Yobe state) between August and November 2021. The goal was to understand the learning points and possible impact of the training on participants.
Read the report in English.
In the loop: Developing effective complaints and feedback mechanisms: research brief and illustrations
Complaints and feedback mechanisms are an essential part of the humanitarian community’s ability to be held accountable for the assistance and protection we deliver. Learn how to develop effective complaints and feedback mechanisms from our research insights available in our research brief in English here. You can also view the illustrated guide here.
TWB Nigeria AAP assessment findings 2021: Complaints and feedback mechanisms
Translators without Borders produced this guidance to help humanitarian responders engage in more effective dialogue with communities in their own languages.
Read the guidance in English.
Language guidance for communicating about COVID-19 in northeast Nigeria
In crises like the COVID-19 pandemic it is essential to communicate in language that is clear, accurate, and accessible. The following guides help responders communicate effectively about COVID-19.
Read the guidance in English.
Language data can help humanitarians communicate better with affected people
For the first time, household-level information is available on the languages conflict-affected people in northeast Nigeria speak and understand. This is thanks to the 2019 Multi-Sector Needs Assessment (MSNA) conducted by REACH.
Read the guidance in English.
Are they listening? The challenges and opportunities of multilingual audio communication in Borno State
Localized, multilingual audio communication is the best way to communicate with internally displaced people.
TWB Glossary for northeast Nigeria
This multilingual glossary is designed to help humanitarian staff, interpreters, and translators working with crisis-affected people in northeast Nigeria. Using consistent, accurate, respectful and easily understood words in local languages is essential when conveying important humanitarian terms and potentially life-saving information… Continue reading
The words between us: How well do enumerators understand the words used in humanitarian surveys?
Data collection is the foundation of humanitarian programs, informing humanitarian response plans, program design, and safeguarding measures. Yet are enumerators able to understand the surveys they conduct? Read more in this 2018 study from northeast Nigeria.
Comprehension matters: The power of communicating in different languages and formats to reach vulnerable women in northeast Nigeria
Communication has the power to aid or hinder humanitarian efforts when responding to a crisis. A June 2018 comprehension study by Translators without Borders (TWB) in northeast Nigeria demonstrates the impact of format on the effectiveness of humanitarian communication. The findings show that, for pregnant and breastfeeding women, humanitarian programs should include verbal and audio communication options.
Language Matters: Improving Accountability and Operational Effectiveness in northeast Nigeria
This brief for the High-Level Conference on the Lake Chad Region, held in Berlin, calls for language support to be considered in the funding of the response. Language barriers are a critical but neglected factor in responding to the needs of the more than 7.7 million people affected by the humanitarian emergency in northeast Nigeria.
Communications Dashboard: Internally Displaced People in northeast Nigeria
This dashboard is an interactive tool to help humanitarian organizations better plan their communication strategies and language support. This resource was developed by Translators without Borders, in cooperation with IOM’s Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM) team in Maiduguri.
Language barriers in the humanitarian response in northeastern Nigeria
This brief report summarizes key findings and proposes ways forward for operational agencies and their donors to improve communication with communities, and thereby aid effectiveness, through language support to humanitarian action.
Language profile of five IDP sites in Maiduguri
This report summarizes key findings from a study of comprehension levels among 951 internally displaced people (IDPs) and host community members at five sites in the Maiduguri area of Borno, northeastern Nigeria.
Download here. Individual site reports are available here.
Learning about Understanding
How do you ensure everyone understands what services and support they are entitled to, if you don’t know what language they speak? In July 2017, TWB set out to answer that question, building on our experience of comprehension testing in Kenya, Bangladesh, and Greece. In collaboration with NGOs Oxfam and Girl Effect, we tested actual comprehension levels in English, Hausa, and Kanuri among IDPs and host community members in Borno State. Read more
To read more research reports and to download free resources for interpreters and cultural mediators please visit our resource library.
