WORLD Policy Analysis Center

Does the constitution explicitly guarantee the right to work for adults with disabilities?

The right to work is considered to be protected for persons with disabilities if the constitution states that persons with disabilities have the right to be employed, the right to labor, the right to secure a means of livelihood, or similar terminology. We also examined prohibitions against discrimination against persons with disabilities in employment. These include general prohibitions of discrimination in work, specific prohibitions of discrimination in hiring, promotions, and terminations, and guarantees of equal pay for equal work.

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 work for persons with disabilities, or explicitly limits the right to work to “able-bodied” persons, those “able to work,” or those “capable of working.”

Guaranteed right, not disability-specific means that the constitution explicitly guarantees the right to work broadly, but does not specifically guarantee this right to persons with disabilities or broadly protect persons with disabilities from discrimination.

Aspirational provision means that the constitution protects the right to work 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 work for persons with disabilities, or intends to protect the right to work broadly and persons with disabilities enjoy equal rights.

Work rights generally guaranteed and disability discrimination prohibited means that the constitution guarantees the right to work broadly and also prohibits discrimination against persons with disabilities.

Guaranteed right means that the constitution explicitly guarantees the right to work to persons with disabilities or prohibits employment discrimination against persons with disabilities.

Countries

Antigua and Barbuda - No specific provision

Armenia - No specific provision

Australia - No specific provision

Austria - No specific provision

Azerbaijan - No specific provision

Bahamas - No specific provision

Bangladesh - No specific provision

Barbados - No specific provision

Bosnia and Herzegovina - No specific provision

Botswana - No specific provision

Brunei - No specific provision

Cyprus - No specific provision

Denmark - No specific provision

Djibouti - No specific provision

Dominica - No specific provision

Eritrea - No specific provision

Estonia - No specific provision

Ethiopia - No specific provision

Germany - No specific provision

Greenland - No specific provision

Haiti - No specific provision

Hungary - No specific provision

Iceland - No specific provision

India - No specific provision

Ireland - No specific provision

Israel - No specific provision

Jamaica - No specific provision

Kiribati - No specific provision

Latvia - No specific provision

Lebanon - No specific provision

Lithuania - No specific provision

Malaysia - No specific provision

Malta - No specific provision

Marshall Islands - No specific provision

Mauritania - No specific provision

Mauritius - No specific provision

Micronesia, Federated States of - No specific provision

Monaco - No specific provision

Mongolia - No specific provision

Namibia - No specific provision

Nauru - No specific provision

The Netherlands - No specific provision

Nigeria - No specific provision

Norway - No specific provision

Pakistan - No specific provision

Palau - No specific provision

Papua New Guinea - No specific provision

The Philippines - No specific provision

Poland - No specific provision

Qatar - No specific provision

Samoa - No specific provision

Saudi Arabia - No specific provision

Sierra Leone - No specific provision

Singapore - No specific provision

Solomon Islands - No specific provision

South Africa - 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

Sweden - No specific provision

Switzerland - No specific provision

Tonga - No specific provision

Trinidad and Tobago - No specific provision

Tuvalu - No specific provision

United Arab Emirates - No specific provision

United Kingdom - No specific provision

United States of America - No specific provision

Vanuatu - No specific provision

Zambia - No specific provision

Afghanistan - Guaranteed right, not disability-specific

Albania - 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

Belize - Guaranteed right, not disability-specific

Benin - Guaranteed right, not disability-specific

Bhutan - 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

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

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

Costa Rica - Guaranteed right, not disability-specific

Croatia - Guaranteed right, not disability-specific

Czech Republic - Guaranteed right, not disability-specific

Equatorial Guinea - Guaranteed right, not disability-specific

France - Guaranteed right, not disability-specific

Gabon - Guaranteed right, not disability-specific

Greece - Guaranteed right, not disability-specific

Grenada - Guaranteed right, not disability-specific

Guinea - Guaranteed right, not disability-specific

Guinea-Bissau - Guaranteed right, not disability-specific

Honduras - Guaranteed right, not disability-specific

Indonesia - Guaranteed right, not disability-specific

Iran - Guaranteed right, not disability-specific

Iraq - Guaranteed right, not disability-specific

Italy - 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

Liberia - Guaranteed right, not disability-specific

Libya - Guaranteed right, not disability-specific

Liechtenstein - 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

Moldova - Guaranteed right, not disability-specific

Montenegro - Guaranteed right, not disability-specific

Myanmar - Guaranteed right, not disability-specific

Oman - Guaranteed right, not disability-specific

Peru - 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

Senegal - Guaranteed right, not disability-specific

Seychelles - Guaranteed right, not disability-specific

Slovakia - Guaranteed right, not disability-specific

Slovenia - Guaranteed right, not disability-specific

Suriname - Guaranteed right, not disability-specific

Syria - Guaranteed right, not disability-specific

Tajikistan - Guaranteed right, not disability-specific

Tanzania - 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

Uruguay - Guaranteed right, not disability-specific

Uzbekistan - Guaranteed right, not disability-specific

Vietnam - Guaranteed right, not disability-specific

Yemen - Guaranteed right, not disability-specific

Argentina - Aspirational provision

China - Aspirational provision

El Salvador - Aspirational provision

Fiji - Aspirational provision

Georgia - Aspirational provision

Lesotho - Aspirational provision

Morocco - Aspirational provision

Nicaragua - Aspirational provision

Burundi - Work rights generally guaranteed and disability discrimination prohibited

Canada - Work rights generally guaranteed and disability discrimination prohibited

Cote d'Ivoire - Work rights generally guaranteed and disability discrimination prohibited

Cuba - Work rights generally guaranteed and disability discrimination prohibited

Egypt - Work rights generally guaranteed and disability discrimination prohibited

Finland - Work rights generally guaranteed and disability discrimination prohibited

Ghana - Work rights generally guaranteed and disability discrimination prohibited

Guyana - Work rights generally guaranteed and disability discrimination prohibited

Mexico - Work rights generally guaranteed and disability discrimination prohibited

Nepal - Work rights generally guaranteed and disability discrimination prohibited

Niger - Work rights generally guaranteed and disability discrimination prohibited

Panama - Work rights generally guaranteed and disability discrimination prohibited

Rwanda - Work rights generally guaranteed and disability discrimination prohibited

Serbia - Work rights generally guaranteed and disability discrimination prohibited

Somalia - Work rights generally guaranteed and disability discrimination prohibited

Eswatini - Work rights generally guaranteed and disability discrimination prohibited

Thailand - Work rights generally guaranteed and disability discrimination prohibited

Tunisia - Work rights generally guaranteed and disability discrimination prohibited

Uganda - Work rights generally guaranteed and disability discrimination prohibited

Zimbabwe - Work rights generally guaranteed and disability discrimination prohibited

Angola - Guaranteed right

Bolivia - Guaranteed right

Brazil - Guaranteed right

Bulgaria - Guaranteed right

Central African Republic - Guaranteed right

Colombia - Guaranteed right

Dominican Republic - Guaranteed right

Ecuador - Guaranteed right

The Gambia - Guaranteed right

Guatemala - Guaranteed right

Kenya - Guaranteed right

Kyrgyzstan - Guaranteed right

Malawi - Guaranteed right

Maldives - Guaranteed right

Mozambique - Guaranteed right

New Zealand - Guaranteed right

Paraguay - Guaranteed right

Portugal - Guaranteed right

South Sudan - Guaranteed right

Spain - Guaranteed right

Sudan - Guaranteed right

Timor-Leste - Guaranteed right

Venezuela - Guaranteed right