Research & Policy Development
The FHR has produced and commissioned extensive research and has designed, managed and overseen a number of baseline surveys in relation to human rights and social justice issues. This has allowed the FHR to develop enduring relationships with experts and expert institutions in the field, and to build internal capacity in this regard. Research and policy development has traditionally been our tool to implement our programmes, in particular by assisting government and civil society with evidence-based research.
Research as a Service
Research and policy development have not been limited to our programmes only. We also provide research as a service to other organizations and state institutions which may not have sufficient capacity, knowledge or skills to do so themselves. Should you require assistance with research, please get in touch with us.
What do we do as part of research and policy development?
Attitudinal surveys
Together with our partners, we design, conduct and analyze attitudinal surveys related to Constitutional awareness. The most recent surveys included:
- 2020 CAO Covid-19 Human Rights Survey
- 2019 UNHCR Survey on Rwandan Refugees and Asylum Seekers in South Africa
- The 2018 Constitutional Awareness Survey
- The 2018 CAO Survey
- The 2011 Constitutional Awareness Survey
Together we our partners or in-house, we conduct research using a mixed-methodology approach i.e. desktop research as well as qualitative and quantitative methods of data collection. We conduct and deliver research in relation to a wide range of subjects including human rights, with an emphasis on socio-economic rights; access to justice; sustainability of civil society organizations; refugee rights and research on xenophobia; gender-based violence; and the rights of LGBTI+ persons.
The FHR has been a major implementing partner of the Department of Justice & Constitutional Development (DoJ&CD). As part of this partnership, the FHR has assisted the DoJ&CD with a number of initiatives related to policy development and legislative processes. The FHR has also assisted other departments and stakeholders with policy development initiatives. In particular, we have:
- Provided a commentary on the Hate Crime Bill
- Supported the Department of Justice during the drafting process of the National Action Plan to Combat Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Other Intolerances.
- Supported the DoJ&CD’s efforts to regulate the CAO sector by providing discussion documents and assisting with developing polices in this regard;
- Supported the DoJ&CD with drafting policy documents related to the sustainability of civil society organizations;
- Supported the UN Women, Department of Women, DIRCO and Ministry of Defence as part of the National Task Team on drafting the UNSC
- Resolution 1325 National Action Plan on Women Peace and Security. We also led the coordination and facilitation of the provincial consultations in this regard.
- Supported the first Presidential National Summit on Gender-based Violence (2018) and the drafting of the National Strategic Plan against Gender-based Violence and Femicide, in collaboration with a collective of CSOs working on gender-based violence.
Research and Policy Development Contact
For any queries related to Research and Policy Development, please contact:
