Women's access to potable water and sanitation as a human right. A case study of Alaska and Shackleton settlements in Chinhoyi, Zimbabwe

Abstract

The residential areas of Alaska and Shackleton are located 14 and 26 kilometres respectively from Chinhoyi. Chinhoyi falls within Mashonaland West province of Zimbabwe. The two are former copper mine settlements to the north west of Chinhoyi town. Following the closure of the mine in 1998, Shackleton residents moved to their rural areas or relocated to other areas and Shackleton was abandoned as there was nothing to attract people to stay. Later people were moved from Bere and Thompson farms to Shackleton because of a cholera outbreak. Shackleton is made up of 587 housing units, a primary school and a recreational area. Shackleton settlement also had a clinic which was closed because of non-availability of water. Since the closure of the Zimbabwe Mineral Development Corporation owned mine, no economic activity has been taking place and there has been very little formal employment hence services have been on the decline. A major challenge has been the provision of potable water and basic, sustainable sanitation services to the community. Shackleton has no access to treated water sources and the community gets water from unprotected wells they sink within their yards during the rainy season and from nearby privately-owned boreholes