The Eligibility Officer needs to remain alert to any signs of potential problems with the quality of the interpretation throughout the Interview and address any concerns immediately. STANDARDS & GUIDELINES Unit 2: General Issues SOME SIGNS OF POTENTIAL PROBLEMS WITH THE QUALITY OF THE INTERPRETATION „ The Applicant’s response does not answer the question asked, or only partially answers it; „ The interpretation of a question or an answer is significantly longer or shorter than appears necessary; „ Words recognized without interpretation (for example, proper names or words in a language that the Eligibility Officer understands) are not interpreted; „ Exchanges between the Interpreter and the Applicant are not interpreted; „ There are non-verbal cues that the Applicant does not understand or is not comfortable answering a question in the presence of the Interpreter. 2.5.5 Remote Participation of Interpreters in Interviews In cases where language requirements cannot be met by a UNHCR Office, remote interpretation arrangements may be necessary to permit the participation of qualified interpreters in RSD or other protection Interviews (for remote interviewing arrangements see § 4.3.2 – Remote Participation of the Applicant in the RSD Interview). Remote interpretation arrangements can exceptionally be considered, for example, in instances where locally present Interpreters do not have the required language skills and/or appropriate profiles, or to avoid long processing delays and backlogs resulting from gaps in locally present interpreter resources. The factors set out in the following paragraphs should be taken into account when considering implementing remote interpretation arrangements. Given the associated technical challenges and limitations, remote interpretation arrangements should, as a general rule, be relied upon as an exceptional measure when no qualified interpreter resources can be identified in the location where the Interview will take place. The technology used to support remote interpreter participation should permit clear, reliable and uninterrupted audio and, where applicable, video transmission. The technology employed needs to be adequate to avoid gaps in the communication and/or unrecoverable speech in the audio and/or video transmission. If reliable technical arrangements cannot be achieved, remote interpretation will generally not be appropriate as it could seriously compromise the efficiency, effectiveness and accuracy of communication in the Interview. The technology used in remote interpreter arrangements also needs to permit confidential and secure communication. The assessment of whether and how appropriate levels of confidentiality can be achieved will have to be informed by existing communications systems and other factors in the specific operational context. Technical advice should be sought as appropriate. Wherever possible, the Interpreter should participate in the Interview from a location arranged by UNHCR, in order to ensure that the interpretation services are provided in a setting which preserves the confidentiality of the proceedings, and are free from background noise and interruptions. Where such 51