Section 4. Open Governance The government did not demonstrate any commitment towards openness in governance. With regard to corruption, on 16 November 2013, Afrobarometer found that nearly a third of Africans in 34 countries including Zimbabwe were forced to pay bribes, including for medical treatment. The government lacked accountability and transparency especially in relation to revenue flows. As a demonstration of general lack of revenue transparency, the government did not fully implement the economic management programme agreed with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in June 2013, as a pre-condition for re-engagement. There remained secrecy around diamond mining and revenue. The government was not accountable and neither did it take responsibility for economic decline, and continued misleading the nation on the sanctions issue. Section 5. Attitudes towards international community In 2013 Zimbabwe had a very poor record of responding to visit requests by international bodies and there were at least eight pending visit requests by the Unite Nation Human Rights Council (UNHRC) special mandates. Numerous statements and requests were also issued by international NGOs and intergovernmental organizations such as the UN and the EU for the government to respect its obligations under international law, to which there were no positive responses. Section 6. Economic, Social and Cultural Rights The new constitution includes economic, social and cultural rights, and specifically water rights. The state continued to suppress workers’ rights especially the right to picket and organize. Working and living conditions deteriorated substantially. The abuse of employee’s rights by employers were also acute in the diamond industry. The government continued to pursue economic policies based on the exclusion of particular social groups, which threatened direct foreign investment thereby undermining means of livelihoods. Access to water and sanitation remained poor. At the close of the year, the economy was nearing collapse, threatening to lead the country into further poverty. Recommendations To the Government of Zimbabwe Generally the government should take concrete steps to fulfill its international legal obligations and commitments relating to economic, social, cultural, civil and political rights as spelled out in various international charters and treaties to which Zimbabwe is party. In order for this to happen, the government should take immediate steps to improve its responsiveness to requests for visits and cooperation by international community and institutions such as the UNHRC, the IMF - specially the Staff Monitoring Project - and the European Union under various articles of the Cotonou agreement. The government should also take concrete steps to fulfill the country’s human rights obligations. They included the need to reaffirm the rights provisions in the new constitution, ensure justice and accountability for past abuses, uphold activists’ rights to organize and operate freely without government harassment, and strengthen the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission. These specific steps should include, but are not limited to, measures to: 1. Align all laws that are inconsistent with the New Constitution 2. Improve the operating environment for human rights defenders, opposition parties and every person in Zimbabwe to enable them to enjoy their rights to freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly. 3. End forced evictions and ensure the full and effective enjoyment of the right to adequate housing, including pursuing effective remedies for those people affected by the 2005 mass forced evictions (known as Operation Murambatsvina) and other cases of forced evictions that have taken place.