4. Ethical Considerations ZHRC had made effort in notifying the Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services of its intended prison visits in the Midlands Province. It is worth noting that ZHRC received cooperation from the prison which enabled the ZHRC to carry out its work freely and waived the requirement of a confirmation letter from the Head Office. The Head Office and the station allowed the commission to take photographs but informed consent was obtained from the inmates concerned. During the photo shoots, ZHRC was accompanied by the Prison security team who would record the pictures taken in line with the prison’s security requirements. It has to be emphasised that the photos taken were purely for the purposes of this report. 5. Legal Frameworks Governing Prisons i. Constitutional and Legislative Frameworks The Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment (No.20) Act 2013 is the supreme law in as far as ensuring the rights of inmates/detained persons is concerned. The following sections of the Constitution and other national legislation are relevant:  Section 50 -provides for rights of arrested and detained persons, to include the right to be treated humanely and with respect for their inherent dignity.  Section 51 - provides for the right to human dignity  Section 53 - provides for freedom from torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.  Section 77 - provides for the right to food and water, this includes right to sufficient food.  Section 75 - right to education, to include a basic state-funded education  Section 81 - provides for the rights of children, this includes the right to equal treatment before the law, including the right to be heard. The legislation governing prisons in Zimbabwe is the Prisons Act [Chapter 7:11] and Statutory Instrument 96 of 2012 which provides for minimum dietary scale for inmates. Page 5 of 21