Zimbabwe has shaded one point from 25 (in year 2018) to 24 (in year 2019) in terms of world rankings for the protection and promotion of the rights of indigenous, ethnic, tribal, linguistic and religious minorities, according to the Minority Rights Group International People Under Threat World Report.
The People Under Threat (PUT) is the MRG Annual international barometer of countries’ performance in promoting and protecting the rights of indigenous, ethnic, tribal, linguistic and religious minorities.
The report notes that the People Under Threat in Zimbabwe are Ndebeles, White Zimbabweans and political/social targets.
The PUT measures 10 indicators which are: self determination conflicts; major armed conflict; prior genocide/ politicide; Flight of Refugees and IDPs; Legacy of vengeance – group grievance; Rise of Factional elites; Voice and Accountability; Political Stability; Rule of Law; and OECD Country Risk Classification.
In the 2019 rankings, Zimbabwe has dropped points in terms of factionalized elites, voice and accountability, political stability and rule of law.
Currently the worst perfoming country ranked 1 is Syria, followed by Somalia 2, South Ssudan 3, Afghanistan 4, Iraq 5, DRC 6, Sudan 7, Yemen 8, Pakistan 9, Central African Republic 10, Libya 11, Ethiopia 12, Nigeria 13 ad Myanmar 14.
Matabeleland Institute for Human Rights calls on the government of Zimbabwe to respect the rights of indigenous, ethnic, tribal, linguistic and religious minorities and specifically to promote accountability, rule of law and political tolerance in the country. Principally the government of Zimbabwe should thrive for the implementation of the provisions of the Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
The report map can be accessed on: https://peoplesunderthreat.org/
MATABELELAND INSTITUTE FOR HUMAN RIGHTS 
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