CHAPTER 5 SOCIO-ECONOMIC RIGHTS: LIVING IN DIGNITY “Cholera loves filth. Anything soiled, polluted or corrupt. Where politics and tainted water mix, it gives cholera life - and spells death to the poor and malnourished. Where there is no corruption, there is no cholera. Clean water with clean politics abolishes it”. - Oxford Handbook of Clinical Medicine. The Declaration of Rights in Zimbabwe enshrines justiciable socio-economic rights, in a manner that to a significant extent domesticates the ICESCR. Notwithstanding, there is a dearth of progressive legislation to consummate the promise of the Constitution when it comes to protection of socioeconomic rights. While socio-economic rights are dependent on available resources, access to these rights must be controlled by legislation in the way of ensuring minimum standards and ensuring that government takes reasonable steps in implementing reasonable plans with reasonable, practical and measurable milestones. Scarcity of water supply – were witnessed, and in dry season. Cholera and typhoid are preventable diseases that can only be eradicated when sanitation is properly managed. Local authorities and the government have not been properly managing the water and sanitation situation. Bulawayo and the Matabeleland region remained in a precarious water situation. Harare and Bulawayo were rationing water as their sources had depleted due to low rainfall activity and siltation. The Water and Sanitation The right to a clean environment is provided in section 73 of the Constitution and the right to safe, clean and potable water provided in section 77 of the Constitution. Zimbabwe is contributing to the estimated 4.5 billion people who are living without safely managed sanitation, and the country is not on track to reach SDG 6, on provision of adequate sanitation. Outbreaks of cholera and typhoid - waterborne diseases – 21 STATE OF HUMAN RIGHTS REPORT ZIMBABWE 2018