The Human Right to Sanitation Is for Prisoners Too

We believe that access to sanitation is a human right and that everyone should have access to a safe, clean working toilet. People in prison are no exception. Access to efficient sanitation and hygiene is more crucial than ever. The COVID-19 crisis has laid bare the social injustices that people face daily, and the lack of sanitation in prison is part of this.

Recent reports have shown that prisoners have been largely unprotected from the COVID-19 crisis across the globe, from lack of PPE to lack of social distancing. It has shown how the prison infrastructure and systems are failing to protect those living within in it.

The State of Sanitation and Hygiene in Prisons

The state of sanitation in prisons is a critical issue that needs to be part of the conversation within the WASH sector. It was only just last year that reports revealed that prisoners within a Surrey prison were disposing of human waste through their cell windows. These pre-COVID-19 conditions had set a dangerous precedent for how sanitation and hygiene functions within prisons. This has meant a system where the virus has become widespread.

Hygiene is a major factor in limiting the spread of COVID-19. The simple act of washing your hands for 20 seconds can create a lasting impact on the rate of infection. Governments have imbedded this act in public health campaigns globally, but what does this mean for incarcerated populations who seem to have limited access to soap?

In certain prisons within the UK and USA, soap has become monetised and has to be bought by prisoners to use them. Many people tend to also utilise hand sanitiser in the absence of soap; however, this is a different story for prisoners. In prisons within the USA, hand sanitiser is still classified as contraband due to its alcohol content, which could mean sanctions for incarcerated people who use them. For people in prison, this has made it difficult to keep clean and maintain personal hygiene and this has been amplified during a global pandemic. Lack of personal hygiene can be dehumanising, and this is why it is important to emphasise the link between dignity and access to quality WASH services.

When people are in enclosed and overcrowded spaces, rates of infection become significantly higher. This is the case for prisons worldwide, where around 115 countries have prisons that exceed the official capacity. This has meant diseases spread easily throughout the population. Some countries such as Iran have decided to grant temporary or early release to prisoners, which will relieve the burden within their prisons. Nevertheless, many countries have resorted to cell lockdowns up to 23 hours to prevent close proximity to others. To be confined to a small space has numerous consequences such as rise in anxiety, depression and health anxieties. This overcrowding has meant that the public health call of social distancing is not possible in most cases. This crisis has to call into question the structure of prisons, where limiting transmission of diseases is near impossible.

What Makes the Prison Population Especially Vulnerable?

We have to understand that incarcerated people are especially susceptible to this COVID-19 crisis. Age plays a factor, where there is a growing ageing population within prisons such as America, where older people now make up a larger percentage of the population. As we know, age plays a significant factor in vulnerability to infection. Underlying health issues are also a major factor within prisons. There is an overrepresentation of diseases such as Tuberculosis and Hepatitis B and C among the prison population. All these factors create a vulnerability among prison populations around the world and there is still work to be done.

Action Points for Prison System Under COVID-19

The WHO, UNODOC, OHCHR have made a joint statement supporting the rights of people in prison during this global pandemic:

• Reduce overcrowding — Urging political leaders to take swift measures to consider limiting the deprivation of liberty, such as pre-trial detention and early releases for those with underlying conditions and older people.
• Ensure health, safety and human dignity — All nations must ensure there is no discrimination towards incarcerated people and uphold public health measures for all.
• Ensure access to continued health services — There has to be continued access to free treatments and other health services for incarcerated people.
• Respect human rights — All states must respect the human rights of incarcerated people. All measures and restrictions must be evidence-informed, proportionate and non-arbitrary.

We live in a world where the prison population is continually growing. It is necessary to shine the spotlight on the conditions and human rights within this system. There has to be a shift in how people in prison are portrayed within wider society.

We must fight for the fundamental human right of access to quality WASH services for incarcerated people.