Position statement

According to this https://lnkd.in/ePw7--5ttheguardian 2018 leak, the UK Home Office plans to require asylum seekers to fill in a questionnaire within 20 days and return it to them in English.

The questionnaire includes highly-sensitive questions and can be sent to users of rare languages, yet the Home Office encourages applicants to make use of online translation tools.

Aside from mistranslation and compromising asylum applications by providing erroneous, inaccurate information, the use of online translation tools will put highly-sensitive personal information of vulnerable individuals at risk, and blame the applicant for cases of erroneous information provided.

How can a government organisation even consider such approach leaves us, professionals, knowledgeable of such risks, yet again, speechless.

The joint Chartered Institute of Linguists and Institute of Translation and Interpreting position statement is below.

I am fully supportive of this position and I urge the UK Home Office to read, understand the issues, and engage the professional bodies and experts when making language policy decisions or risk being in violation of international laws and human rights.

https://www.ciol.org.uk/ciol-and-iti-express-concerns-home-office

#homeoffice#languagepolicy#immigration#asylum#asylumseekers#languageaccess#accesstoinformation#accesstojustice#law#languagepolicy#rights#humanrights#language#translation

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Vasiliki is a translator, interpreter, transcreator, blogger, consultant and director of Greek to Me Translations Ltd. She works with English, Greek and French herself and has a team of trusted colleagues who can cover other languages. The offered language services serve mainly the legal, creative, and psychometrics industries.

Vasiliki is a Chartered Linguist, member of the Chartered Institute of Linguists (CIOL), the Institute of Translation and Interpreting (ITI) and Panhellenic Association of Greek Translators (PEM). She is registered with the Greek Embassy in the United Kingdom as a certified translator and interpreter. She holds a BA in English Language and Linguistics and Masters in Business Translation and Interpreting. She is a Steering Group Member of the CIOL Translating Division (CIOL TD) and CIOL Business, Professions and Government Division (CIOL BPG). She is an Associate Lecturer in Legal Translation at London Metropolitan University teaching Legal Translation, Translation for International Organisations, Linguistics, Translation Theory and Strategy. She is a public speaker and writer for industry magazines.

Her mission is to help organisations and individuals achieve their goals through the power of words. Through mentoring, Vasiliki helps aspiring or young translators to overcome self-limiting beliefs, build a business mindset and achieve their highest potential.

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