INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES

Human rights constitute the normative foundation of democratic governance, social justice, and inclusive development. In developing democracies such as India, public policies serve as the principal instruments for translating constitutional guarantees into socio-economic realities. This paper critically examines the intersection between human rights and public policy through an integrated theoretical and empirical approach. Drawing upon John Rawls’ Theory of Justice, Amartya Sen’s Capability Approach, and the contemporary Rights-Based Approach (RBA) to development, the study situates human rights protection within broader philosophical and policy frameworks. It incorporates recent statistical data (2023–2025) from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) and the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) to evaluate trends in rights violations and institutional responses. The findings reveal persistent structural inequalities, implementation gaps, and governance deficits, despite robust constitutional safeguards. The paper argues that embedding human rights impact assessments, strengthening accountability mechanisms, and promoting participatory governance are essential to achieving substantive equality and inclusive development.

Keywords: Human Rights; Public Policy; Social Justice; Inclusive Development; John Rawls; Amartya Sen; Capability Approach; Rights-Based Approach; NCRB; NHRC