the human suffering of the people of Zimbabwe, they are still patient and hopeful that human solidarity will prevail. While the methods used by Operation Restore Order must be condemned, and the Government of Zimbabwe encouraged to take corrective measures to reform itself, the immediate concern of the international community should be to offer immediate and urgent assistance to those affected by the Operation. This should pave way for a frank dialogue with the Government of Zimbabwe concerning its human rights record. 7.2 Conclusions and Recommendations The following conclusions and recommendations address the socio-economic and humanitarian consequences that have resulted from Operation Restore Order. They also propose a series of measures for tackling some of the underlying structural causes that need to be addressed for the humanitarian response to be sustainable. 7.2.1 Humanitarian Response There is an urgent need for the Government of Zimbabwe to facilitate humanitarian operations within a pro-poor, gender-sensitive policy framework that provides security of tenure, affordable housing, water and sanitation, and the pursuit of small-scale incomegenerating activities in a regulated and enabling environment. The most urgent issue at present is to help the people who have been evicted, estimated to be over half a million people. Many of these people are living in the open. Some have found alternative rental accommodation, while others have been taken in by their extended families in both urban and rural areas. Their immediate needs include food, water, blankets, temporary shelter and toilets. In the medium- to long-term, they will need to be provided with alternative housing and structures for their small-scale income generating activities sector activities. This will entail the design and implementation of low-income housing projects on properly surveyed plots, with security of tenure, all on the basis of revised and more appropriate planning standards. These housing projects will need to be close to the original homes of the evicted households, as children will need to continue in their old schools and adult household members will need to reconnect with their sources of livelihood. Parallel projects addressing the needs of small scale operators will also be necessary, probably involving the designation of central sites for markets and the establishment of an effective trade licensing system in which the rights of operators are fully protected. The UN has to play an important role with regard to these initiatives. Entry points for the implementation of this recommendation include: a. The establishment of a joint Government of Zimbabwe/United Nations framework agreement establishing norms, priorities and roles governing humanitarian response; b. The immediate undertaking of a joint assessment exercise to determine the impact and the needs created by Operation Restore Order has created in both humanitarian and human settlements terms, and to ascertain the location of those who have been displaced; c. The Government of Zimbabwe should commit itself to a moratorium on all demolitions, evictions and displacements to facilitate this exercise; d. The immediate launch of a Joint Humanitarian Appeal and the assurance by the Government of Zimbabwe of unhindered access by the United Nations Country Team 72