2. METHODOLOGY This report is based on field visits to Zimbabwe by Amnesty International researchers between October 2018 and remote research in November 2020, due to the lockdowns imposed by governments across the SADC region to mitigate against the spread of COVID-19, in the provinces of Mashonaland, Matabeleland North, Matabeleland South and Manicaland. These are some of the areas where most migrant workers settled before independence in 1980 and they remain home to many of the Ndebele ethnic minority members who were subjected to state persecution and subsequently became stateless. Researchers conducted around 100 interviews with people affected by statelessness and carried out 10 focus group interviews, including with individuals directly affected by statelessness. The team further conducted interviews with academics, government officials, lawyers, the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in both Zimbabwe and South Africa, the Office of the Registrar General of Zimbabwe and other relevant organizations and individuals. In total, around 150 people from these sectors were interviewed. The report also analyses a number of documents, including successive citizenship laws, the Constitution of Zimbabwe and UNHCR reports, as well as the March 2016 submission to the Universal Periodic Review during its 26th Session. Furthermore, Amnesty International researchers worked with local non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to identify communities deprived of nationality and therefore affected by statelessness. The organization is grateful for the support and trust offered by these partners. Amnesty International also thanks the Office of the Registrar General and the Ministry of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs for providing answers to our questions. All interviews were conducted after informed consent. To protect individuals who participated in the research the report will, where necessary, use anonymity or pseudonyms in line with the organization’s research ethics. Amnesty International thanks everyone who took their time to talk to us during our research, including people directly affected by statelessness, NGOs who volunteered their time and information, and government officials who assisted in our journey of compiling this report. WE ARE LIKE “STRAY ANIMALS” THOUSANDS LIVING ON THE MARGINS DUE TO STATELESSNESS IN ZIMBABWE Amnesty International 7