All disabled people have the right to speak for themselves and participate in decisions affecting their lives. This page centers disabled people's expertise in advocacy and provides practical guidance for self-advocates and allies organizing together.
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Advocacy means speaking up—for yourself, for others, or for change. Disabled people have always advocated, though systems have often tried to silence that voice.
Self-advocacy: Speaking up for yourself, asserting your needs, making decisions about your own life.
Individual advocacy: Supporting another person to have their voice heard (while ensuring they remain in control).
Systemic advocacy: Working to change policies, laws, and systems that create barriers.
This principle, central to disability rights movements worldwide, means:
Why this matters:
When non-disabled people make decisions for disabled people—even with good intentions—they often get it wrong. Professionals, parents, and policymakers have created systems that harm disabled people when disabled voices were excluded.
Self-advocacy starts with knowing what you're entitled to. In different contexts, this means:
Healthcare:
Employment:
Education:
Government Services:
Know your specific rights by checking:
In conversations:
Prepare: Before important meetings, write down what you want to say. Practice if helpful.
Be direct: "I need..." is clearer than hints or hoping others will figure it out.
You don't owe explanations: You can say what you need without justifying your disability.
Ask questions: "What are my options?" "What happens if...?" "Who else should I talk to?"
Get it in writing: After important conversations, follow up with email summarizing what was agreed.
When you're not getting what you need:
Escalate: Ask to speak with a supervisor or decision-maker.
Document: Keep records of dates, names, what was said, what was denied.
Know your appeals: Most systems have processes to challenge decisions.
Get support: Advocates, lawyers, disability organizations can help.
Scenario 1: You need an accommodation at work
You have a right to reasonable accommodation. You don't have to disclose your specific diagnosis, but you do need to explain what you need and why.
Steps:
Scenario 2: A service provider won't accommodate you
You have rights under disability discrimination laws. But sometimes you need quick solutions.
Options:
Scenario 3: You're not being taken seriously in healthcare
Medical gaslighting—where providers dismiss your experiences—is extremely common for disabled people.
Strategies:
Scenario 4: Someone is making decisions without your input
Whether it's family members, guardians, or service providers—you have the right to be heard.
Assert yourself:
Self-advocacy is work, and it's not always possible or safe.
When you're exhausted:
It's okay to not fight every battle. Pick what matters most. Get others to help.
When there are power imbalances:
Sometimes advocating has real risks—losing services, damaging relationships, facing retaliation. Assess your situation and protect yourself.
When communication is a barrier:
Self-advocacy doesn't require speaking verbally. Use AAC, written communication, support people—whatever works for you.
When you have cognitive or psychiatric disabilities:
Systems often dismiss self-advocacy from people with certain disabilities. This is discrimination. You can advocate for yourself, and supporters should help you do so rather than speaking over you.
Individual self-advocacy addresses your immediate needs. Systemic advocacy changes the systems that create barriers for everyone.
Example transformation:
Both are necessary. Systemic change makes individual advocacy less necessary—and less exhausting—for future disabled people.
Policy advocacy: Changing laws, regulations, and policies at local, national, or international levels.
Community organizing: Building power among disabled people to demand change collectively.
Legal advocacy: Using courts to establish rights and enforce laws.
Public education: Changing how people think about disability to create conditions for change.
Direct action: Protests, demonstrations, and civil disobedience that draw attention to injustice.
Understanding systems:
How does a bill become a law? Who makes decisions about this policy? What's the budget process? Understanding how systems work tells you where to apply pressure.
Coalition building:
Systemic change usually requires organizing—connecting with other disabled people, allied organizations, and broader movements.
Strategic communication:
Messaging matters. How do you frame disability issues in ways that build support? When do you tell personal stories, and when do you lead with data?
Documentation and research:
Change often requires evidence. Documenting problems, gathering data, and presenting credible information strengthens advocacy.
Direct action:
Sometimes change requires disruption. Disability movements have a rich history of protests, sit-ins, and civil disobedience.
Disability rights connects to other movements:
Building solidarity means supporting other movements while bringing disability perspectives to those spaces.
Self-Advocacy Organizations:
Systemic Advocacy Organizations:
Individual Advocacy Support:
Training Programs:
Self-Advocacy Organizations:
Systemic Advocacy:
Individual Support:
Self-Advocacy Organizations:
Systemic Advocacy:
Individual Support:
Self-Advocacy Organizations:
Systemic Advocacy:
Individual Support:
Find organizations in your country:
Start small: Practice in lower-stakes situations before high-stakes ones.
Know your communication style: Some people advocate best verbally, others in writing. Use what works for you.
Find mentors: Connect with other self-advocates who can share experience.
Join groups: Self-advocacy groups provide support, training, and community.
Practice saying no: "No" is a complete sentence. You don't have to agree to everything.
Practice asking questions: "Can you explain that?" "What are my options?" "What if I need something different?"
Learn your history: Understanding how change happened before helps you understand how to create it now.
Study organizing: Labor organizing, civil rights movements, and disability rights movements all have lessons.
Build relationships: Change happens through relationships. Know who makes decisions and how to reach them.
Tell stories effectively: Personal narrative can be powerful, but strategic storytelling is a skill.
Understand policy: Learn how laws and regulations are made and changed.
Practice public speaking: Whether testifying at hearings or talking to media, communication matters.
Self-advocacy training:
Leadership development:
Organizing skills:
Learning materials:
Community:
Your role is to support self-advocacy, not replace it.
Do:
Don't:
Do:
Don't:
Do:
Don't:
Sometimes you do everything right and still don't get what you need. Systems are imperfect, discrimination exists, and power imbalances are real.
This isn't failure:
You can advocate perfectly and still not succeed. This reflects systemic problems, not personal inadequacy.
Know when to escalate:
If informal approaches don't work, consider formal complaints, legal action, or media attention.
Collective power:
Individual advocacy has limits. Systemic change requires organizing together.
Protect yourself:
If advocacy puts you at risk, protect yourself first. Live to fight another day.
Find community:
Other disabled people understand. Connect with community for support and solidarity.
What self-advocacy strategies have worked for you? What training programs or resources should be listed? What's missing about advocacy in your country?
Share through our [contribution form] or email [email protected].
Last updated: November 2025
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