Deadline: 27-Jun-2026
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is inviting applications to support protection activities through the provision of professional interpretation and translation services for refugees and asylum seekers in Egypt. The initiative aims to ensure equitable, timely, and high-quality communication support that enables refugees to access protection services, legal procedures, registration processes, and essential information in languages they understand.
By reducing language barriers and strengthening communication, the project seeks to improve protection outcomes, enhance accountability, and ensure that refugees can effectively participate in decisions affecting their lives.
About the Project
UNHCR Egypt currently supports more than 1 million registered refugees and asylum seekers originating from over 35 countries.
Given the diversity of languages spoken by refugee communities, professional interpretation and translation services are essential to ensure that individuals can access protection services, understand their rights, and communicate effectively with UNHCR and its partners.
The project focuses on delivering reliable, culturally sensitive, and confidential language services that support protection activities across multiple operational areas.
Project Objectives
The initiative aims to:
- Ensure equitable access to interpretation and translation services
- Reduce language barriers faced by refugees and asylum seekers
- Improve communication during protection and legal procedures
- Support timely access to essential services and information
- Strengthen protection case management
- Promote accountability and transparency in service delivery
- Ensure confidentiality and ethical interpretation practices
- Enhance participation of refugees in decision-making processes
- Maintain consistent quality standards across language services
The project plays a critical role in ensuring that language differences do not prevent refugees from accessing protection and assistance.
Key Focus Areas
The project focuses on:
- Interpretation services for refugees and asylum seekers
- Translation of protection-related documents
- Registration support
- Refugee status determination procedures
- Resettlement processes
- Legal assistance and legal procedures
- Protection case management
- Community services and outreach
- Access to basic services
- Confidential and culturally sensitive communication
These services help ensure effective communication across all stages of refugee protection.
Why Interpretation Services Matter
Language barriers can significantly affect a refugee’s ability to access services, understand procedures, and exercise their rights.
Professional interpretation and translation services help:
- Improve access to protection services
- Ensure informed decision-making
- Facilitate accurate information sharing
- Strengthen legal and administrative processes
- Reduce misunderstandings and communication gaps
- Promote inclusion and participation
- Protect the rights of refugees and asylum seekers
Effective communication is a fundamental component of quality refugee protection.
Services to Be Provided
Selected partners will support a broad range of interpretation and translation activities.
Services may include:
- Oral interpretation during interviews
- Translation of official documents
- Support during counseling sessions
- Interpretation during legal procedures
- Assistance during refugee status determination interviews
- Resettlement-related interpretation
- Community outreach interpretation
- Telephone interpretation services
- Training and workshop interpretation
- Translation of protection information materials
All services must meet high standards of accuracy, professionalism, and confidentiality.
Translation Support
Translation services may cover documents related to:
- Registration procedures
- Refugee status determination
- Resettlement applications
- Protection case files
- Community services
- Legal documentation
- Information materials
- Training resources
- Official correspondence
Accurate document translation is essential to ensure fair and effective protection processes.
Interpretation Support Activities
Interpreters may assist during:
- Individual interviews
- Case management sessions
- Counseling meetings
- Protection briefings
- Information sessions
- Legal consultations
- Community engagement activities
- Telephone inquiries
- Capacity-building workshops
- Training programmes
These services help refugees understand available support and communicate their needs effectively.
Expected Outcomes
The project aims to achieve several important outcomes, including:
- Improved access to information and services
- Enhanced protection outcomes
- Better case management processes
- Greater participation of refugees in decision-making
- Stronger accountability within protection systems
- Consistent and reliable language services
- Reduced communication barriers
- Improved trust between refugees and service providers
These outcomes contribute directly to more effective refugee protection and assistance.
Quality and Ethical Standards
All interpretation and translation services are expected to comply with UNHCR protection standards.
Key principles include:
- Confidentiality
- Neutrality
- Accuracy
- Professionalism
- Cultural sensitivity
- Impartiality
- Respect for refugee rights
- Protection of sensitive information
Maintaining these standards is essential for safeguarding the integrity of protection services.
Benefits for Refugees and Asylum Seekers
Through this initiative, refugees and asylum seekers will benefit from:
- Language-appropriate communication
- Clear understanding of procedures and rights
- Improved access to services
- Better support during legal and protection processes
- Greater confidence in interacting with institutions
- Increased participation in community activities
- Reduced risk of misunderstandings
The project helps ensure that all individuals can access protection services regardless of the language they speak.
Who Should Apply?
The opportunity is intended for organizations capable of providing professional interpretation and translation services that meet UNHCR standards.
Applicants should demonstrate:
- Experience in interpretation and translation services
- Capacity to work across multiple languages
- Understanding of refugee protection contexts
- Strong quality assurance mechanisms
- Ability to maintain confidentiality and ethical standards
- Capacity to deliver timely and reliable services
Organizations with expertise in humanitarian, refugee, migration, or protection-related language services may be particularly well positioned to contribute.
Why This Initiative Matters
Communication is central to effective refugee protection. Without appropriate language support, refugees may struggle to access legal assistance, protection services, education, healthcare, and other essential support systems.
This initiative strengthens:
- Refugee protection systems
- Access to justice
- Service delivery effectiveness
- Community participation
- Accountability and transparency
- Inclusion and equality
- Human rights protection
By ensuring high-quality interpretation and translation services, UNHCR helps create a more accessible and responsive protection environment for refugees and asylum seekers in Egypt.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the purpose of this UNHCR initiative?
The project aims to provide professional interpretation and translation services that support communication between refugees, asylum seekers, and protection service providers. - Where will the project be implemented?
The initiative supports UNHCR operations in Egypt. - Who benefits from the project?
Refugees and asylum seekers registered with or supported by UNHCR Egypt. - What types of services will be provided?
Interpretation for interviews, counseling, legal procedures, training sessions, and translation of protection-related documents and materials. - Why are interpretation services important in refugee protection?
They help refugees understand their rights, access services, participate in procedures, and communicate effectively with service providers. - What standards must interpreters and translators follow?
Services must adhere to principles of confidentiality, neutrality, accuracy, professionalism, and cultural sensitivity. - What outcomes does UNHCR expect from the project?
Improved communication, stronger protection outcomes, better access to services, enhanced accountability, and reduced language barriers.
Conclusion
The UNHCR interpretation and translation services initiative in Egypt seeks to strengthen refugee protection by ensuring that language barriers do not prevent refugees and asylum seekers from accessing essential services and exercising their rights. Through professional, confidential, and culturally sensitive language support, the project will improve communication, strengthen case management, and enhance the overall effectiveness of protection services for more than one million refugees and asylum seekers living in Egypt.
For more information, visit UN Partner Portal.
