RIGHTS BEHIND BARS A Study of Prison Conditions In Zimbabwe 2018 Zimbabwean prisons. In addition, the supply of supplementary food can endanger the health of the entire prison population especially during times of disease outbreaks like the recent typhoid outbreak. 5.6. Access to clean and potable water Access to safe and clean drinking water was not reported to be a problem at the prisons that were visited. The main challenge arose in the context of water for use in ablution facilities. At Connemara Open Prison, there was a block for bath rooms and toilets which had running water. The ablution system was intact with no challenges at all. This is consistent with international and domestic standards on access to water for domestic and hygienic purposes. Mlondolozi Prison also had running borehole and municipal water. At Tabudirira Satellite Prison, the water that was available at the prison was from an electric borehole and community water source. There were no challenges relating to water for ablution facilities as the prison only had one five-holed block of blair toilets.75 Similar success stories were reported at Harare Remand Prison. Generally speaking, these prisons comply with international and national standards on every prisoner’s right to water for personal and communal use. Whawha Young Offenders Prison also had access to adequate municipal water, but inmates used the bucket system to flush human waste during the day as the water came with low pressure. There were five showers in that block, but they were not working and in need of repair.76 The Mutare Farm Prison Visit Report outlines that there was erratic municipal water supply, the toilets’ flushing systems needed to be repaired, prisoners are to flush the toilets with buckets of water.77 This is inconsistent with international and national standards because the right to clean water does not only imply the availability, but also accessibility of the water. If the water is difficult to access or use, the standards would not have been met. This means that there is a high likelihood that the requirements for a sufficient, adequate and safe amount of water for consumption, cooking, personal and domestic hygienic requirements’78 as provided for in ICESCR and other instruments were not adhered to.79 Despite the availability of water at Harare Remand Prison, the situation on the ground was gravely worrying at the time of the visit. The toilets had become dysfunctional for close to a year and they were full of human waste. Prisoners used the outside flushing system which was very unhealthy. Inmates were forced to endure the smell of human waste the whole night.80 Apart from infringing the right of access to clean, potable and safe water, these prison conditions violate every person’s right to the provision at State expense of adequate accommodation, ablution facilities and personal hygiene as provided for by section 55(5)(d) of the Constitution. 75 76 77 78 79 80 28 ZACRO and the Forum, Tabudirira Prison Monitoring Visit Report, 2. ZACRO and the Forum, Harare Remand Prison Monitoring Visit Report, 3-4. ZACRO and the Forum Mutare Farm Prison Visit Report, 2. CESCR), General Comment No. 15. See also articles 14(2) of CEDAW, 15(2) of the AWP, 28(2)(a) of the CRPD and 24(2) of the CRC. ZACRO and the Forum, Harare Remand Prison Monitoring Visit Report, 4. EGAP