Civic groups are urging Parliament and ZEC to enshrine water and sanitation standards into Zimbabwe’s electoral law. Drawing from their by-election findings, MIHR is advocating for the amendment of the Electoral Act to include rights-based benchmarks for water and sanitation in polling stations.
Recommendations include: sex-separated toilets, minimum potable water per official, handwashing stations, and inclusion of WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) in election budgeting and logistics.
The call comes as Zimbabwe prepares for future electoral events under rising climate stress and infrastructure fragility, and aims to enhance electoral dignity and public health.