Disability Laws and Acts by Country/Area

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Disability laws and acts are instruments through which countries abolish discrimination against persons with disabilities and eliminate barriers towards the full enjoyment of their rights and their inclusion in society. These laws and acts contribute to progress towards the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with disabilities (CRPD) in national legislation. Such legislation contributes also towards the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and the pledge of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development to leave no one behind.


Country/Area Laws/Acts Language
Afghanistan Law on Disability Rights and Privileges Arabic
Albania Law No. 8626 of 22 June 2000 on the Status of Paraplegic and Tetraplegic Albanian
Law No. 44/2012 on mental Health Albanian
Algeria Act on the protection and promotion of persons with disabilities, adopted on 8 May 2002, Official Gazette No. 34/2002 French
Andorra Law guaranteeing the rights of persons with disabilities Catalan
Angola Law 21/12, of 30 July 2012, Law on Persons with Disabilities Portuguese
Antigua and Barbuda Disabilities And Equal Opportunities Bill, 2017 English
Argentina Law No. 22431 Comprehensive protection system for the disabled (1981) Spanish
Law No. 24314 on accesibility for persons with limited mobility Spanish
Law No. 24204 on public telephony for the hard of eharing Spanish
Armenia Law of the Republic of Armenia “On social protection of persons with disabilities in the Republic of Armenia”  adopted in 1993 English
Australia The Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (Cth) (DDA)  English
Austria Federal Disability Equality Act (BGBl. I No. 82/2005) German
Azerbaijan Law on prevention of disabilities and impaired health of children and rehabilitation and social protection of the disabled and children with impaired health  
Bahamas Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities) Act, 2014 English
Bahrain Law No. 74 of 2006 regulating the care and employment of persons with disabilities  Arabic
Bangladesh Disability Welfare Act (2001) English
Rights and Protection of Persons with Disabilities Act 2013. Bangla
Belarus Law of the Republic of Belarus of November 11, 1991, No. 1224-XII “On Social Protection of Disabled Persons of the Republic of Belarus” Russian
Belgium Reform Act on disability and introducing a new protected status in accordance with human dignity French
The Act of 27 February 1987 on disability allowances  
Bolivia (Plurinational State of) General Law for Persons with Disabilities (2012) Spanish
Bosnia and Herzegovina Laws on pension and disability insurance Serbian
Brazil Law No. 13,146 on Inclusion of People with Disabiltiies (Person with Disabilities Statute) (2015) Portuguese
Brunei Darussalam Old Age and Disability Pensions Law 1955/Revised Version 1984 English
Bulgaria Law on the Integration of Persons with Disabilities of 01 January 2005 English
Burkina Faso Law No. 012-2010/AN of 1 April, 2010 on the protection and promotion of the rights of persons with disabilities French
Cambodia Law on the Protection and the Promotion of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities English (unofficial translation)
Cameroon Law No 2010/002 of 13 April 2010 on the protection and promotion of persons with disabilities French
Decree No. 2018/6233 fixing the procedures for the application of Law N° 2010/002 of 13 April 2010 on the protection and promotion of persons with disabilities  English
Canada Services and Supports to Promote the Social Inclusion of Persons with Developmental Disabilities Act, 2008 English
Chad Law No. 007/PR/2007 Bearing Protection for Disabled Persons French
Chile Law 20,422 establishing rules on equal opportunities and social inclusion of persons with disabilities (2010) Spanish
China The Law of the People's Republic of China on the Protection of Disabled Persons (2008) English
China (Hong Kong) Disability Discrimination Ordinance (Cap. 487) (DDO)  English
China (Macau) Law 9/83/M of 3 October on the suppression of architectural barriers Portuguese
Colombia Enacting Law 1618, through which the provisions are established to ensure the full exercise of the rights of persons with disabilties (2013) Spanish
Cook Islands Disability Act of 2008  English
Costa Rica Act 7600 on Equal Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities (1996).  Spanish
Law No. 9379 on the Promotion of Personal Autonomy of Persons with Disabilities (2016) Spanish
Croatia Law on the Croatian Registry of Persons with Disability (2001) Croatian
Law on Professional Rehabilitation and Employment of Persons with Disabilities (2002) English
Democratic People's Republic of Korea Law on the Protection of Persons with Disabilities  
Dominican Republic Law No. 5-13 of 5 January 2013 on Organic Equal Rights of Persons with Disabilities  Spanish
Ecuador Organic Law on Disabilities (2012) Spanish
El Salvador Law of Equality of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities Spanish
Ethiopia Proclamation of the Rights to Employment for Persons with Disabilities No. 568/2008 English
Fiji Fiji National Council for disabled Persons Act 1994 English
Act No. 4 of 2018 - Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act 2018 English
Finland Disability Services Act 380/1987 Finnish
Act on Intellectual Disabilities 519/1977 Finnish
France Law No. 2005-102 of 11 February 2005 on equal rights, opportunities, participation and citizenship to individuals with disabilities French
Gabon Act No. 19/95 of 13 February 1996 on Social Protection for Persons with Disabilities French
Georgia Law of Georgia of 16 October 1997 №959 on Social Protection of Persons with Disabilities  Georgian
Germany Book IX of the Social Code 'Integration and Rehabilitation of Disabled People (SGB IX, 2001) German
Equality for Persons with Disabilities Act (BGG) German
General Act on Equal Treatment Act (AGG) English
Ghana Persons with Disability Act, 2006 (Act 715) English
Guatemala Decree No. 135-96 on the law on the care for persons with disabilities Spanish
Haiti Law on the Integration of Persons with Disabilities (2012) French
Honduras Law on equity and integral development for people with disabilities (2005) Spanish
Hungary Disability act Act XXVI of 1998 on the rights and equal opportunities of persons with disabilities Hungarian
India Persons with Disabilities Act 2016 English
Indonesia Law No. 8/2016 on persons with disabilities  Indonesian
Iran (Islamic Republic of) Comprehensive Law on the Protection of Persons with Disabilities of 2004 Persian
Iraq Act No. 38 of 2013 on Care of Persons with Disabilities and Special Needs Arabic
Israel Equal Rights for Persons with Disabilities Law 5758-1998 (the "Equal Rights Law")  English
Equal Rights for Persons with Disabilities (Service Accessibility Adjustments) Regulations 5773-2013  English
Italy Law 104/92 - Framework Law for assistance, social integration and rights of the handicapped Italian
Law 68/99 - Norms for the right to work of the disabled Italian
Jamaica Disabilities Act 2014 English
Japan Basic Act for Persons with Disabilities (August 2011) English
Services and Supports for Persons with Disabilities Act (June 2012) English
Jordan Law No. 20 for the year 2017 on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities English
Kazakhstan Law No. 39 of 13 April 2005 on Social Protection of disabled Persons English
Kenya Persons With Disabilities Act No. 14 of 2003 English
Latvia Disability Law  Latvian
Lithuania  Law of the Republic of Lithuania on Social Integration of Persons with Disabilities English (unofficial translation)
Luxemburg Law No. 169 of 28 July 2011 on the rights of persons with disabilities  French
Malawi Disability Act, 2012 English
Malaysia Disability Act 2008 English
Maldives Protection of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and Provision of Financial Assistance (Law No. 8/2010)  
Malta Equal Opportunities (Persons with Disability) Act  English
Marshall Islands Rights of Persons with disabilities Act, 2015 English
Mauritius Constitution Article 16 English
National Council for Rehabilitation of Disabled Persons Act  
Training and Employment of Disabled Persons Act English
Mexico General Law for the Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities (2011) Spanish
Monaco Law No. 1.410 of 02 December 2014 for the protection and autonomy and promotion of the rights of persons with disabilities French
Mongolia Law on the Human Rights of Persons with Disabilities 2016 English
Montenegro Law on prohibition of discrimination  English
Myanmar Pyidaungsu Hluttaw Law No. 30/2015 - Law on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Burmese
Nepal Act No. 2039 of 1982 on the  Protection and Welfare of the Disabled Persons English
Netherlands Act on Equal Treatment on the Grounds of Disability or Chronic Illness  English (Unofficial Translation)
New Zealand New Zealand Public Health and Disability Act 2000 English
Nicaragua Law No. 763 on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (2011) Spanish
Niger Ordinance No. 93-012 of 2 March 1993  
Ordinance No. 2010-028 of 20 May 2010  
Nigeria Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act 2018 English
Norway Anti-Discrimination and Accessibility Act (No. 42 of 2008). Norwegian
Oman Welfare and Rehabilitation of Persons with Disabilities Act 2008 Arabic
Palau The Disabled Person’s Anti-Discrimination Act  English
Panama Law 15 of 31 May 2016 ammending Law 42 of 1999 on Equalization of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities Spanish
Paraguay Law 4692 establishing benefits for employers for the incorporation of persons with disabilities in the private sector Spanish
Law 122/90 establishing rights and privileges for persons with disabilities Spanish
Peru General Law for the Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities (2012) Spanish
Philippines Republic Act No. 7277 - Magna Carta for Persons with Disabilities English
Poland Act on Vocational and Social Rehabilitation and Employment of Disabled People Polish
Portugal

Framework Act 38/2004 of 18 August – General Basis of the Legal System for Prevention, Habilitation, Rehabilitation and Participation of Persons with Disabilities

Law on inclusion of persons with disabilities in school

Portuguese
Qatar Persons with Special Needs Act No. 2 of 2004 English
Republic of Korea Act on the Prohibition of Discrimination of Disabled Persons English
Act on Welfare of Persons with Disabilities  English
Republic of Moldova Law No. 60 of 30.03.2012 on the social inclusion of persons with disabilities Romanian
Republic of North Macedonia Law on Employment of Persons with Disability  
Law on Civilian Invalids of War  
The Rulebook on Assessing Specific Needs of Persons with Physical or Mental Disabilities  
Romania Law no. 448/2006 Regarding the Protection and Promotion of the Rights of Disabled Persons English
Russian Federation Law No. 181-FZ of 24 November 1995 on Social Protection of the Disabled (as amended on 02 July 2013) Russian
Rwanda Law No. 01/2007 of 20 January 2007 Relating to the Protection of Persons with Disabilities in General English
Saudi Arabia Disability Law 2000 Arabic
Senegal Social orientation law no.2010-15 of July 6, 2010 French
Serbia Law on Prevention of Discrimination against Persons with Disabilities (LPDPD) - Official Gazette of RS No. 33/06 Serbian
Law on Professional Rehabilitation and Employment of Persons with Disabilities (LPREPD) - Official Gazette of RS No. 36/09 Serbian
Sierra Leone Persons with Disability Act, 2011 English
Slovenia The Law on Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment of Persons with Disabilities (ZZRZ)I Slovenian
The Equalisation of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities Act (ZIMI) Slovenian
South Africa Code of Good Practice: Key Aspects on the Employment of People with Disabilities English
The South African Library for the Blind Act English
Spain Act No. 13/1982 of 7 April 1982 on social integration of the handicapped  Spanish
Act No. 51/2003 of 2 December 2003 on equality of opportunity, nondiscrimination and universal accessibility for persons with disabilities  Spanish
Sri Lanka 1996 Protection of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act No. 28  English
Sudan Persons with Disabilities Act of 2009 Arabic
Sweden Act concerning Support and Service to Persons with Certain Functional Disabilities (LSS)  English
Switzerland Federal Act on the Elimination of Discrimination against People with Disabilities English
Tanzania Persons with Disabilities Act (2010) English
Thailand The Persons with Disabilities Empowerment Act B.E. 2550 (2007)  English (unofficial translation)
Togo Act No. 2004-005 of 23 April 2004 on the social protection of disabled persons French
Trinidad and Tobago Equal Opportunity Act of 2000 English
Tunisia Law No. 83 of 15 August 2005 on the advancement and protection of persons with disabilities Arabic
Turkey Turkish Disability Act (TDA) No. 5378 of 2005 English
Uganda Persons with Disabilities Act (2006) English
National Council for Disability Act (2003) English
Ukraine Law “On Basics of Social Protection for the Disabled in Ukraine" Ukrainian
United Arab Emirates Federal Law No. 29 of 2006 In Respect of The Rights of People with Special Needs English
United Kingdom Equality Act 2010 English
United States Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, as amended English
  Rehabilitation Act of 1973 - As Amended Through P.L. 114–95, Enacted 10 December 2015 English
  Individuals with Disabilities Education Act English
Uruguay Law No.29973 - General Law on Persons with Disabilities  Spanish
Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Persons with Disabilities Act of 29 December 2006. Spanish
18,651 Comprehensive Protection Act of Persons with Disabilities (2010) Spanish
Viet Nam Law on Persons with Disabilities (No. 51/2010/QH12) English
Decree 28/2012/ND-CP dated April 10th 2012 of the Government guiding the implementation of some articles of the Law on Persons with Disabilities Vietnamese