2.5.6 Impartiality of UNHCR Interpreters The impartial and neutral role of the Interpreter should be maintained throughout the RSD process. The following guidelines need to be observed by all UNHCR staff and Interpreters: Unit 2: General Issues STANDARDS & GUIDELINES GUIDELINES TO PRESERVE THE IMPARTIALITY AND QUALITY OF INTERPRETATION „ Interpreters should interpret verbatim, fully and accurately all communications between the Eligibility Officer and the Applicant, and promptly inform the Eligibility Officer and Applicant where precise interpretation is not possible. „ Eligibility Officers should not call upon Interpreters to assess the credibility of an Applicant’s account, or to investigate or comment on the reliability of evidence provided by an Applicant, except as it relates to the use of language and dialect by the Applicant. In this regard, the Interpreter’s input should generally be limited to issues arising in the interpretation process, such as explaining the cultural meaning of a word or other nuances in the language, as well as indicating where a term or a phrase does not have an exact equivalent in the language of interpretation. Where information regarding the Applicant’s language or dialect brings into question the Applicant’s asserted nationality, ethnicity, place of origin, or other material fact, this should generally prompt further examination of the relevant aspect of the Applicant’s account and the credibility of the particular fact should be assessed in light of all the available evidence. „ Interpreters should not allow personal biases or cultural factors to influence the quality of interpretation, and should at all times treat Applicants with dignity and respect and maintain a professional attitude. „ Interpreters should never engage in advocacy or intervene with UNHCR on behalf of Applicants nor should they seek to undermine Applicants’ claims. „ UNHCR Interpreters should not accept requests to meet with asylum-seekers and refugees outside of UNHCR Office, or engage in any other exchange that could affect their impartiality in UNHCR RSD procedures. If there are urgent circumstances where the Interpreter’s assistance is required outside the UNHCR office in connection with the Applicant’s claim, the Interpreter must obtain prior written authorization from the appropriate UNHCR staff member. „ Interpreters should be instructed to promptly notify the UNHCR staff member to whom they provide services, or the RSD Supervisor if appropriate, of any factors which could be perceived to affect the Interpreter’s impartiality, including previous personal knowledge of, or contact with, an asylumseeker, or another potential conflict of interest, as well as threats or offers of bribery received by the Interpreter. „ Interpreters should not select Applicants for whom they provide interpreting services, and should not be informed of the identity of the Applicants before the day on which they provide the interpreting services. Exceptions can be made in cases where the Interpreter may need to prepare for Interviews during which specific types of technical language is likely to be used, or where the Applicant presents security risks so that the Interpreter has the opportunity to decline to provide interpretation due to such risks. „ Wherever possible, Interpreters should be assigned to different Eligibility Officers and repeated involvement by an Interpreter in a particular case should be avoided when scheduling Interviews. For Applicants with specific needs or vulnerabilities, it may however be appropriate to use the same 53