WORLD Policy Analysis Center

Does the constitution explicitly guarantee the right to health for persons with disabilities?

This map tells us whether nations take at least one approach to health for persons 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 health is considered to be guaranteed for persons with disabilities if the right to health or the right to medical services is guaranteed. The right to health includes the right of persons with disabilities to physical or overall wellbeing, health protection, health security, or a life free of illness or disease. The right to medical services captures references to the state’s commitment to cure, restore or rehabilitate health; to ensure adequate health facilities for the population; or to provide access to healthcare services, curative services, medical aid, medical assistance or treatment to persons with disabilities.

The term ‘disability’ includes 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 health for persons with disabilities. This does not mean that the constitution denies this right, but that it does not explicitly include it for persons with disabilities or all persons.

Right guaranteed, not disability-specific means that the constitution broadly guarantees the right to health or the right to medical services, but does not specifically guarantee any of these rights to persons with disabilities or broadly protect persons with disabilities from discrimination.

Aspirational means that the constitution protects the right to health or medical services for persons with disabilities but does not use language strong enough to be considered a guarantee. For example, the country endeavors to provide the right to health for persons with disabilities or intends to provide medical services broadly and persons with disabilities enjoy equal rights.

Health rights generally guaranteed and disability discrimination prohibited means that the constitution broadly guarantees the right to health or to medical services and also provides general protection against discrimination based on disability, but does not guarantee any approach to health specifically for persons with disabilities.

Guaranteed means that the constitution explicitly guarantees health rights to persons with disabilities.

Countries

Antigua and Barbuda - No relevant provision

Argentina - No relevant provision

Australia - No relevant provision

Austria - No relevant provision

Bahamas - No relevant provision

Bangladesh - No relevant provision

Barbados - No relevant provision

Belize - No relevant provision

Bhutan - No relevant provision

Botswana - No relevant provision

Brunei - No relevant provision

Cameroon - No relevant provision

Canada - No relevant provision

Chad - No relevant provision

China - No relevant provision

Republic of the Congo - No relevant provision

Costa Rica - No relevant provision

Cyprus - No relevant provision

Denmark - No relevant provision

Djibouti - No relevant provision

Dominica - No relevant provision

Equatorial Guinea - No relevant provision

Eritrea - No relevant provision

Ethiopia - No relevant provision

Germany - No relevant provision

Greenland - No relevant provision

Grenada - No relevant provision

Guinea-Bissau - No relevant provision

Iceland - No relevant provision

India - No relevant provision

Ireland - No relevant provision

Israel - No relevant provision

Jamaica - No relevant provision

Japan - No relevant provision

Jordan - No relevant provision

Kiribati - No relevant provision

Laos - No relevant provision

Lebanon - No relevant provision

Lesotho - No relevant provision

Liberia - No relevant provision

Luxembourg - No relevant provision

Malawi - No relevant provision

Malaysia - No relevant provision

Malta - No relevant provision

Mauritania - No relevant provision

Mauritius - No relevant provision

Monaco - No relevant provision

Namibia - No relevant provision

Nauru - No relevant provision

The Netherlands - No relevant provision

New Zealand - No relevant provision

Nigeria - No relevant provision

Norway - No relevant provision

Pakistan - No relevant provision

Palau - No relevant provision

Papua New Guinea - No relevant provision

Samoa - No relevant provision

San Marino - No relevant provision

Sierra Leone - No relevant provision

Singapore - No relevant provision

Solomon Islands - No relevant provision

Sri Lanka - No relevant provision

St. Kitts and Nevis - No relevant provision

St. Lucia - No relevant provision

St. Vincent and the Grenadines - No relevant provision

Eswatini - No relevant provision

Sweden - No relevant provision

Switzerland - No relevant provision

Tanzania - No relevant provision

Tonga - No relevant provision

Trinidad and Tobago - No relevant provision

Türkiye - No relevant provision

Tuvalu - No relevant provision

Uganda - No relevant provision

United Kingdom - No relevant provision

United States of America - No relevant provision

Uruguay - No relevant provision

Vanuatu - No relevant provision

Zambia - No relevant provision

Afghanistan - Right guaranteed, not disability-specific

Algeria - Right guaranteed, not disability-specific

Andorra - Right guaranteed, not disability-specific

Bahrain - Right guaranteed, not disability-specific

Belarus - Right guaranteed, not disability-specific

Belgium - Right guaranteed, not disability-specific

Benin - Right guaranteed, not disability-specific

Bosnia and Herzegovina - Right guaranteed, not disability-specific

Brazil - Right guaranteed, not disability-specific

Bulgaria - Right guaranteed, not disability-specific

Burkina Faso - Right guaranteed, not disability-specific

Cambodia - Right guaranteed, not disability-specific

Chile - Right guaranteed, not disability-specific

Comoros - Right guaranteed, not disability-specific

Democratic Republic of the Congo - Right guaranteed, not disability-specific

Croatia - Right guaranteed, not disability-specific

Czech Republic - Right guaranteed, not disability-specific

El Salvador - Right guaranteed, not disability-specific

Estonia - Right guaranteed, not disability-specific

France - Right guaranteed, not disability-specific

Guinea - Right guaranteed, not disability-specific

Haiti - Right guaranteed, not disability-specific

Honduras - Right guaranteed, not disability-specific

Indonesia - Right guaranteed, not disability-specific

Iran - Right guaranteed, not disability-specific

Iraq - Right guaranteed, not disability-specific

Italy - Right guaranteed, not disability-specific

Kazakhstan - Right guaranteed, not disability-specific

Democratic People's Republic of Korea - Right guaranteed, not disability-specific

Republic of Korea - Right guaranteed, not disability-specific

Kuwait - Right guaranteed, not disability-specific

Latvia - Right guaranteed, not disability-specific

Libya - Right guaranteed, not disability-specific

Liechtenstein - Right guaranteed, not disability-specific

Lithuania - Right guaranteed, not disability-specific

North Macedonia - Right guaranteed, not disability-specific

Madagascar - Right guaranteed, not disability-specific

Mali - Right guaranteed, not disability-specific

Marshall Islands - Right guaranteed, not disability-specific

Micronesia, Federated States of - Right guaranteed, not disability-specific

Mongolia - Right guaranteed, not disability-specific

Myanmar - Right guaranteed, not disability-specific

Oman - Right guaranteed, not disability-specific

Peru - Right guaranteed, not disability-specific

Qatar - Right guaranteed, not disability-specific

Russian Federation - Right guaranteed, not disability-specific

Sao Tome and Principe - Right guaranteed, not disability-specific

Saudi Arabia - Right guaranteed, not disability-specific

Seychelles - Right guaranteed, not disability-specific

Slovakia - Right guaranteed, not disability-specific

Suriname - Right guaranteed, not disability-specific

Syria - Right guaranteed, not disability-specific

Tajikistan - Right guaranteed, not disability-specific

Togo - Right guaranteed, not disability-specific

Turkmenistan - Right guaranteed, not disability-specific

Ukraine - Right guaranteed, not disability-specific

United Arab Emirates - Right guaranteed, not disability-specific

Uzbekistan - Right guaranteed, not disability-specific

Venezuela - Right guaranteed, not disability-specific

Vietnam - Right guaranteed, not disability-specific

Yemen - Right guaranteed, not disability-specific

Albania - Aspirational

Cabo Verde - Aspirational

Gabon - Aspirational

The Gambia - Aspirational

Greece - Aspirational

Guatemala - Aspirational

Guyana - Aspirational

Kenya - Aspirational

Maldives - Aspirational

Morocco - Aspirational

Nicaragua - Aspirational

The Philippines - Aspirational

Sudan - Aspirational

Armenia - Health rights generally guaranteed and disability discrimination prohibited

Burundi - Health rights generally guaranteed and disability discrimination prohibited

Colombia - Health rights generally guaranteed and disability discrimination prohibited

Fiji - Health rights generally guaranteed and disability discrimination prohibited

Finland - Health rights generally guaranteed and disability discrimination prohibited

Nepal - Health rights generally guaranteed and disability discrimination prohibited

Niger - Health rights generally guaranteed and disability discrimination prohibited

Panama - Health rights generally guaranteed and disability discrimination prohibited

Rwanda - Health rights generally guaranteed and disability discrimination prohibited

Serbia - Health rights generally guaranteed and disability discrimination prohibited

South Africa - Health rights generally guaranteed and disability discrimination prohibited

Thailand - Health rights generally guaranteed and disability discrimination prohibited

Tunisia - Health rights generally guaranteed and disability discrimination prohibited

Zimbabwe - Health rights generally guaranteed and disability discrimination prohibited

Angola - Guaranteed

Azerbaijan - Guaranteed

Bolivia - Guaranteed

Central African Republic - Guaranteed

Cote d'Ivoire - Guaranteed

Cuba - Guaranteed

Dominican Republic - Guaranteed

Ecuador - Guaranteed

Egypt - Guaranteed

Georgia - Guaranteed

Ghana - Guaranteed

Hungary - Guaranteed

Kyrgyzstan - Guaranteed

Mexico - Guaranteed

Moldova - Guaranteed

Montenegro - Guaranteed

Mozambique - Guaranteed

Paraguay - Guaranteed

Poland - Guaranteed

Portugal - Guaranteed

Romania - Guaranteed

Senegal - Guaranteed

Slovenia - Guaranteed

Somalia - Guaranteed

South Sudan - Guaranteed

Spain - Guaranteed

Timor-Leste - Guaranteed