When Yu Qi (not her real name) discovered her son was falling behind in school, she had no way of finding out why or how she could support him. After getting injured at work, Venus (not her real name) was asked by her supervisor to delay seeking medical attention until she had finished her shift. She was unaware of her rights.
Yu Qi and Venus are both victims of a language barrier in Australia that seriously affects their wellbeing. Language barriers can make public communication inaccessible and exclude people from equitable participation in education, employment, healthcare, welfare, and all aspects of social life.
The number of people who suffer from linguistic exclusion is high. UNESCO estimates that 40 percent of students worldwide experience a mismatch between their language repertoires and the language of instruction. Even within OECD countries, the literacy skills of over 30 percent of the adult population are insufficient to cope with complex bureaucratic demands.
