This project set out to develop a tool with which to monitor and evaluate the progressive realisation of socio-economic rights in South Africa. The aim is twofold: firstly, to move towards an agreement on what progressive realisation of socio-economic rights means in South Africa – to what end and over what time span – and secondly, to develop a method of monitoring and evaluating progress made to date and in the future.

This is an ambitious document, in that it seeks to place a theoretical approach to understanding the issues involving the
conceptualisation, definition and measurement of poverty in an accessible manner, as well as to reflect more technical concerns regarding the nature and quality of data that exists which any poverty measure would have to draw on in a manner that does not alienate “lay people”. We have also tried to provide a description of historical attempts to measure poverty in South Africa to ensure that current discussions do not take place in an a contextual manner.