A human rights perspective on policy implementation processes: observations from the South African public service

Abstract

This study considers the implementation of public policy from a human rights perspective, and relates to the broad application of human rights defined in the Constitution of South Africa, including civil and political rights, social and economic rights, and a right to development. This study has chosen to refer only to social and economic rights in the Constitution of South Africa because of the extensive developmental challenges that these present for governments to alleviate conditions of poverty and facilitate availability and accessibility to the means of improvement, the absence or weakness of which could undermine these human rights.