The working paper has been undertaken as part of the ‘Monitoring the progressive realisation of socio-economic rights’ project conducted by SPII with the support of Foundation for Human Rights and the endorsement from the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC). The objective of this project through the combination of policy and budget analysis and statistical indicators is to provide a comprehensive framework and set of tools to monitor the progressive
realisation of socio-economic rights. It is hoped that this project will be a useful tool for policy makers, for those that exercise oversight over the executive, including Parliament and Chapter Nine institutions (notably the SAHRC), and civil society.

An analysis of the policy efforts, budgeting and enjoyment of the right to a healthy environment in South Africa.

Monitoring the Progressive Realisation of Socio-Economic Rights Project

Praxis: learning through Action Applied Research to Enhance Oversight.

This policy brief will first, define CBM and outline both its distinct features and the legal and policy basis for it in the South African context, in order to make the case for its inclusion within the broader SER monitoring framework. The second section will consider: what is to be monitored?; How is monitoring done?; and, who should do the monitoring?. In answering these foundational questions, section two will discuss various CBM tools and instruments used in South Africa. Third, this paper will raise a number of key questions and challenges for the SER Monitoring Project in terms of how citizen based monitoring can be supported and incorporated into monitoring at other levels – most
notably the statistical indicators which the project aims to monitor and track over time.