RIGHTS BEHIND BARS A Study of Prison Conditions In Zimbabwe 2018 prisons and detainees were often made to do with one uniform which was only replaced when it became seriously torn. This could be problematic when the prisoner wishes to wash their uniform. The rights to adequate food and clean water are recognised by several international human rights instruments and the Constitution as part of the class of rights that are extended to ‘everyone’ and as a specific right to be enjoyed by detainees. Some of the few prisons were able to supply basic food items to inmates, but it can hardly be said that these prisons fully complied with international and national standards on the provision of adequate food. The shortage of food, particularly protein, cooking oil and meals for those on special diet, was reported to be a persistent problem in many of the prisons that were visited. At Mlondolozi Prison, food shortages also seriously affected mental health patients who needed to be consistently taking medication. 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 and, even then, the problem was not really water shortage. Rather, the problem arose because the flushing systems for toilets were not working and prisoners had to use buckets to flush human waste. Persons deprived of their liberty are entitled to the right of access to health care services as protected in the Constitution and international law. There is need for improvement in the provision of health care services for treatment at almost all prisons. At many of the prisons visited, inmates are treated from rooms with no privacy or from buildings with inadequate storage space for medication. Virtually all prisons visited had a shortage of ordinary clinical staff, let alone specialist staff such as psychologists, social workers, specialist doctors and the like. Another trend that emerged from the reports was that the majority of staff servicing prison clinics were non-residents (they lived in some other place) and they were servicing more than one hospital or clinic. These conditions violate the right to access to health care services as provided for in national and international instruments. With regards to education, vocational training and work, it is worth noting that prisoners do not forfeit their right to education by virtue of their committal to custodial institutions. Notwithstanding the fact that all the 23 juveniles detained at Harare Remand Prison were of the school going ages, there were no learning programme or facilities. The absence of educational programmes and learning facilities violates detainees’ and prisoners’ right to education. It prevents intellectual development and in the case of sentenced prisoners, makes full integration upon release impossible. As far as vocational training is concerned, the idea of workshops implemented at Connemara Prison is very noble as it equips inmates with the skills needed when they are released from prison. This report also discussed specific guarantees conferred only upon juveniles in detention. These guarantees are the right to be kept separately from detained persons over the age of majority and the right to be kept in conditions, and treated in a manner that takes into account the child’s age. With regard to separation of young from adult offenders, it is encouraging that our prisons comply with the standards laid down in the Constitution and international law. Even where young offenders are placed at the same 37