Prioritize Vital Infrastructure - Section 4

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Written by: John Burke
Parent Category: Human Rights Zimbabwe
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Zimbabwe's Regime has Failed - for 45 years
4. Policy Recommendations

To address these priority needs, the following recommendations are proposed, grounded in a human rights-based approach and aligned with international best practices:

4.1 Adopt a Human Rights-Based Approach (HRBA)
  • Policy Action: Enact legislation and policies that explicitly recognize water and sanitation as human rights, in line with UN resolutions and Zimbabwe’s international obligations. Ensure that policies prioritize the most marginalized, including women, children, refugees, indigenous peoples, and persons with disabilities.
  • Implementation: Establish a national task force to oversee the implementation of HRBA principles, involving civil society, international organizations, and affected communities. Use tools such as the UN-Water Global Analysis and Assessment of Sanitation and Drinking-Water (GLAAS) to monitor progress (WHO, 2022).
4.2 Mobilize Resources
  • Domestic Funding: Combat corruption and redirect resources from elite enrichment (e.g., mineral proceeds) to public infrastructure, including investments in integrated sanitation and energy projects, as highlighted by ZHRO (2024). Implement transparent budgeting and anti-corruption measures to ensure funds reach intended projects, such as bio-methane facilities.
  • International Support: Leverage commitments from international partners, such as the UK’s pledge to support water and sanitation initiatives (GOV.UK, 2012), to secure funding and technical assistance for waste-to-energy projects. Engage with UN agencies (e.g., UN Environment Programme, UNIDO), the World Bank, and regional bodies like the Southern African Development Community (SADC) to mobilize resources for bio-methane initiatives, emphasizing their alignment with climate and SDG goals.
  • Private Sector Engagement: Foster public-private partnerships (PPPs) to finance and implement infrastructure projects, including bio-methane production facilities, ensuring safeguards to prevent privatization that excludes the poor. Encourage private sector investment in renewable energy technologies by offering incentives, such as tax breaks or carbon credits.
4.3 Strengthen Governance and Accountability
  • Policy Action: Establish independent regulatory bodies to oversee water, sanitation, and energy services, ensuring compliance with human rights standards and equitable distribution. Include specific mandates for regulating waste-to-energy systems, such as bio-methane production, to ensure safety, efficiency, and environmental sustainability. Strengthen local government capacity to plan, implement, and maintain integrated infrastructure projects.
  • Community Participation: Involve communities, particularly marginalized groups, in the design, implementation, and monitoring of water, sanitation, and energy projects to ensure solutions meet local needs and cultural contexts. Promote community-led management of bio-methane facilities to enhance local ownership and sustainability.
4.4 Build Resilience to External Shocks
  • Climate Adaptation: Integrate climate-resilient technologies, such as rainwater harvesting, drought-resistant water systems, and bio-methane production, into infrastructure planning to address climate change impacts, as recommended by UN-Water (2022). Bio-methane systems can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by capturing methane from organic waste, contributing to climate mitigation efforts.
  • Conflict and Migration: Plan for the needs of refugees, internally displaced persons, and conflict-affected communities, ensuring access to water, sanitation, and energy in densely populated areas, as highlighted by UNHCR (UNHCR, 2024). Deploy mobile bio-methane units in refugee camps to manage waste and provide energy for lighting, cooking, and water purification.
4.5 Enhance Public Awareness and Education
  • Policy Action: Launch national campaigns to educate the public on water conservation, hygiene practices, the importance of sanitation, and the benefits of waste-to-energy systems, drawing on ZHRO’s advocacy for human rights education (ZHRO, 2024). Highlight the role of bio-methane in improving sanitation, reducing energy costs, and protecting the environment.
  • School Programs: Integrate water, sanitation, hygiene (WASH), and energy education into school curricula, ensuring access to safe facilities and renewable energy sources (e.g., bio-methane-powered lighting) to support learning, particularly for girls and children with disabilities.