Swedish Translation for Refugees
By Sarah-Claire Jordan
The situation in Syria, Iraq, and other Middle Eastern countries doesn’t seem to be getting better any time soon. This means the refugees who are lucky enough to find a way out of their war-torn homes are increasing increasing in number and still need places to wait out the war or eventually settle down. Up until recently, Sweden has had very flexible immigration policies that meant many refugees were, and still are, trying to make their way to this friendly country in the north.
In the past, Sweden has been a beacon of hope for people fleeing dangerous circumstances in Somalia, Bosnia, Kosovo, and other countries. Though it may be a very uniform society, Sweden is extremely democratic and fair as well, which is very attractive for people coming from a place full of persecution and discrimination. Sweden also boasts a very stable economy with a high standard of living and many services paid for by taxes, like health care many other things.
English is widely-spoken in Sweden, and many Swedes speak it at a very high level, which is excellent news for Middle Eastern refugees who also speak some English. Educated Syrians in particular, who are among the Syrians fleeing war, are very likely to speak English. However, this will only get someone so far in Swedish society. One could hire a translator or interpreter, but that isn’t likely to happen with a refugee who had to leave behind most of their money and belongings. If a refugee plans on staying and getting a job in Sweden, a knowledge of Swedish will be a necessary thing to have.
Luckily, there are translators who will work with non-profit organizations aimed at helping refugees navigate the legal maze that is being in another country without a visa or anything to your name. They help to translate information about the rights they have as refugees in Sweden, from how they can get housing and medical attention to how the Swedish government deals with short-term asylum seekers. This is very useful for refugees who won’t be staying in Sweden any longer than they need to, as well as giving long-term asylum seekers an idea of what they need to do in order to stay.
Unfortunately, it looks like Sweden is starting to question its own immigration policies and limit the number of refugees who can enter and stay in Sweden. This also includes sending refugees that don’t have certain qualifications out of the country to again wander, desperately looking for a safe place to stay. This shift in attitudes toward refugees means they will need to be informed again of their own rights and what they need to do in order to try and stay. Learning Swedish would most likely help their chances of being able to stay, as it would show that they are intent on becoming a part of Swedish society.
There are Swedish for Immigrants (SFI) classes that can give refugees the knowledge they need in order to integrate into Swedish society, whatever their education level is. These kinds of programs, plus more support for translators and interpreters who help refugees, need more funding and support in order to make Sweden again a model for how to respond to an influx of refugees.
Category: Foreign Language
Subscribe
If you enjoyed this article, subscribe to receive more just like it.
