WORLD Policy Analysis Center

Does the constitution explicitly guarantee the right to education for children with disabilities?

This map shows whether countries guarantee the right to education for children with disabilities in their constitution. Only constitutional provisions are included in this map. Legislative protections are not shown here. Read more about why constitutions matter.

The right to education is considered to be protected for children with disabilities when the following are explicitly granted to children with disabilities or are granted in general and the constitution states that individuals enjoy rights on an equal basis regardless of disability: the right to education, the right to compulsory education, the right to free education, and the prohibition of discrimination in education. The right to vocational or other training was not considered equivalent to the right to education.

The term ‘disability’ refers to both general references to disabilities and specific mentions of mental or physical disabilities.

No specific provision means that the constitution does not explicitly protect the right to education for children with disabilities. This does not mean that the constitution denies this right, but that it does not explicitly include it for children with disabilities or all persons.

Guaranteed right, not disability-specific means that the constitution broadly guarantees the right to education, but does not specifically protect the right to education for children with disabilities.

Aspirational provision means that the constitution protects the right to education for children with disabilities but does not use language strong enough to be considered a guarantee. For example, constitutions in this category might state that the country aims to ensure children with disabilities have the right to education.

Education rights generally guaranteed and disability discrimination prohibited means that the constitution guarantees the right to education broadly and provides general protection against discrimination based on disability, but does not specifically protect children with disabilities from discrimination in education.

Guaranteed right means that the constitution guarantees the right to education for children with disabilities or protects against discrimination on the basis of disability in education in authoritative language. For example, constitutions in this category might guarantee protection against discrimination in education based on disability or make it the state’s responsibility to ensure this right for children with disabilities.

On mouseover on the map, a note may appear for some countries which indicates "allows for exceptions." This indicates cases where constitutions explicitly allow for exceptions to equal rights or duties in cases where an individual is "unable to exercise or fulfill [them] due to his or her disability".

Countries

Antigua and Barbuda - No specific provision

Australia - No specific provision

Bahamas - No specific provision

Bangladesh - No specific provision

Barbados - No specific provision

Belize - No specific provision

Bhutan - No specific provision

Botswana - No specific provision

Brunei - No specific provision

Canada - No specific provision

Djibouti - No specific provision

Dominica - No specific provision

Eritrea - No specific provision

Ethiopia - No specific provision

Germany - No specific provision

Grenada - No specific provision

Israel - No specific provision

Kiribati - No specific provision

Lebanon - No specific provision

Lesotho - No specific provision

Liberia - No specific provision

Malaysia - No specific provision

Mauritania - No specific provision

Mauritius - No specific provision

Nauru - No specific provision

Nigeria - No specific provision

Papua New Guinea - No specific provision

Samoa - No specific provision

Singapore - No specific provision

Solomon Islands - No specific provision

Sri Lanka - No specific provision

St. Kitts and Nevis - No specific provision

St. Lucia - No specific provision

St. Vincent and the Grenadines - No specific provision

Eswatini - No specific provision

Tanzania - No specific provision

Tonga - No specific provision

Trinidad and Tobago - No specific provision

Tuvalu - No specific provision

United States of America - No specific provision

Vanuatu - No specific provision

Zambia - No specific provision

Afghanistan - Guaranteed right, not disability-specific

Algeria - Guaranteed right, not disability-specific

Andorra - Guaranteed right, not disability-specific

Bahrain - Guaranteed right, not disability-specific

Belarus - Guaranteed right, not disability-specific

Belgium - Guaranteed right, not disability-specific

Benin - Guaranteed right, not disability-specific

Bosnia and Herzegovina - Guaranteed right, not disability-specific

Bulgaria - Guaranteed right, not disability-specific

Burkina Faso - Guaranteed right, not disability-specific

Cambodia - Guaranteed right, not disability-specific

Cameroon - Guaranteed right, not disability-specific

Cabo Verde - Guaranteed right, not disability-specific

Chad - Guaranteed right, not disability-specific

Chile - Guaranteed right, not disability-specific

Comoros - Guaranteed right, not disability-specific

Republic of the Congo - Guaranteed right, not disability-specific

Costa Rica - Guaranteed right, not disability-specific

Cyprus - Guaranteed right, not disability-specific

Czech Republic - Guaranteed right, not disability-specific

Denmark - Guaranteed right, not disability-specific

El Salvador - Guaranteed right, not disability-specific

Equatorial Guinea - Guaranteed right, not disability-specific

Estonia - Guaranteed right, not disability-specific

France - Guaranteed right, not disability-specific

Gabon - Guaranteed right, not disability-specific

Greece - Guaranteed right, not disability-specific

Greenland - Guaranteed right, not disability-specific

Guatemala - Guaranteed right, not disability-specific

Guinea - Guaranteed right, not disability-specific

Guinea-Bissau - Guaranteed right, not disability-specific

Iceland - Guaranteed right, not disability-specific

India - Guaranteed right, not disability-specific

Indonesia - Guaranteed right, not disability-specific

Iran - Guaranteed right, not disability-specific

Iraq - Guaranteed right, not disability-specific

Ireland - Guaranteed right, not disability-specific

Jamaica - Guaranteed right, not disability-specific

Japan - Guaranteed right, not disability-specific

Jordan - Guaranteed right, not disability-specific

Kazakhstan - Guaranteed right, not disability-specific

Democratic People's Republic of Korea - Guaranteed right, not disability-specific

Republic of Korea - Guaranteed right, not disability-specific

Kuwait - Guaranteed right, not disability-specific

Laos - Guaranteed right, not disability-specific

Latvia - Guaranteed right, not disability-specific

Libya - Guaranteed right, not disability-specific

Liechtenstein - Guaranteed right, not disability-specific

Lithuania - Guaranteed right, not disability-specific

Luxembourg - Guaranteed right, not disability-specific

North Macedonia - Guaranteed right, not disability-specific

Madagascar - Guaranteed right, not disability-specific

Mali - Guaranteed right, not disability-specific

Marshall Islands - Guaranteed right, not disability-specific

Micronesia, Federated States of - Guaranteed right, not disability-specific

Monaco - Guaranteed right, not disability-specific

Mongolia - Guaranteed right, not disability-specific

Montenegro - Guaranteed right, not disability-specific

Myanmar - Guaranteed right, not disability-specific

Namibia - Guaranteed right, not disability-specific

The Netherlands - Guaranteed right, not disability-specific

Nicaragua - Guaranteed right, not disability-specific

Norway - Guaranteed right, not disability-specific

Oman - Guaranteed right, not disability-specific

Pakistan - Guaranteed right, not disability-specific

Palau - Guaranteed right, not disability-specific

The Philippines - Guaranteed right, not disability-specific

Poland - Guaranteed right, not disability-specific

Qatar - Guaranteed right, not disability-specific

Romania - Guaranteed right, not disability-specific

Russian Federation - Guaranteed right, not disability-specific

San Marino - Guaranteed right, not disability-specific

Sao Tome and Principe - Guaranteed right, not disability-specific

Saudi Arabia - Guaranteed right, not disability-specific

Senegal - Guaranteed right, not disability-specific

Seychelles - Guaranteed right, not disability-specific

Slovakia - Guaranteed right, not disability-specific

Suriname - Guaranteed right, not disability-specific

Sweden - Guaranteed right, not disability-specific

Syria - Guaranteed right, not disability-specific

Togo - Guaranteed right, not disability-specific

Türkiye - Guaranteed right, not disability-specific

Turkmenistan - Guaranteed right, not disability-specific

Ukraine - Guaranteed right, not disability-specific

United Arab Emirates - Guaranteed right, not disability-specific

United Kingdom - Guaranteed right, not disability-specific

Uruguay - Guaranteed right, not disability-specific

Uzbekistan - Guaranteed right, not disability-specific

Vietnam - Guaranteed right, not disability-specific

Yemen - Guaranteed right, not disability-specific

Albania - Aspirational provision

Argentina - Aspirational provision

China - Aspirational provision

Malta - Aspirational provision

Morocco - Aspirational provision

Sierra Leone - Aspirational provision

Armenia - Education rights generally guaranteed and disability discrimination prohibited

Austria - Education rights generally guaranteed and disability discrimination prohibited

Burundi - Education rights generally guaranteed and disability discrimination prohibited

Fiji - Education rights generally guaranteed and disability discrimination prohibited

Finland - Education rights generally guaranteed and disability discrimination prohibited

Guyana - Education rights generally guaranteed and disability discrimination prohibited

Malawi - Education rights generally guaranteed and disability discrimination prohibited

Niger - Education rights generally guaranteed and disability discrimination prohibited

Panama - Education rights generally guaranteed and disability discrimination prohibited

Rwanda - Education rights generally guaranteed and disability discrimination prohibited

Serbia - Education rights generally guaranteed and disability discrimination prohibited

South Africa - Education rights generally guaranteed and disability discrimination prohibited

Switzerland - Education rights generally guaranteed and disability discrimination prohibited

Thailand - Education rights generally guaranteed and disability discrimination prohibited

Tunisia - Education rights generally guaranteed and disability discrimination prohibited

Uganda - Education rights generally guaranteed and disability discrimination prohibited

Zimbabwe - Education rights generally guaranteed and disability discrimination prohibited

Angola - Guaranteed right

Azerbaijan - Guaranteed right

Bolivia - Guaranteed right

Brazil - Guaranteed right

Central African Republic - Guaranteed right

Colombia - Guaranteed right

Democratic Republic of the Congo - Guaranteed right

Cote d'Ivoire - Guaranteed right

Croatia - Guaranteed right

Cuba - Guaranteed right

Dominican Republic - Guaranteed right

Ecuador - Guaranteed right

Egypt - Guaranteed right

The Gambia - Guaranteed right

Georgia - Guaranteed right

Ghana - Guaranteed right

Haiti - Guaranteed right

Honduras - Guaranteed right

Hungary - Guaranteed right

Italy - Guaranteed right

Kenya - Guaranteed right

Kyrgyzstan - Guaranteed right

Maldives - Guaranteed right

Mexico - Guaranteed right

Moldova - Guaranteed right

Mozambique - Guaranteed right

Nepal - Guaranteed right

New Zealand - Guaranteed right

Paraguay - Guaranteed right

Peru - Guaranteed right

Portugal - Guaranteed right

Slovenia - Guaranteed right

Somalia - Guaranteed right

South Sudan - Guaranteed right

Spain - Guaranteed right

Sudan - Guaranteed right

Tajikistan - Guaranteed right

Timor-Leste - Guaranteed right

Venezuela - Guaranteed right