Disability rights exist. They're not charity or accommodation—they're legal protections and human rights that you have, whether you know about them or not. This section explains your rights at federal, state, international, and regional levels, and how to advocate for yourself and your community.
Every disabled person has rights: to be included in decisions affecting us, to access healthcare and education, to work, to access public spaces, to organize, and to self-determine. These rights are codified in law, policy, and international agreements.
Many disabled people don't know their rights. Many know them but don't know how to advocate for them. This section translates legal language into plain language, provides concrete steps for filing complaints and appeals, and centers disability justice approaches to advocacy that go beyond individual rights to community liberation.
Introduction to disability rights across different regions and frameworks. Includes the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), regional human rights systems, and how disability rights are understood globally.
The disability rights movement—often led by Disabled people of color, Mad people, and multiply-marginalized disabled people—has a rich, radical history. Understanding this history is essential to understanding disability justice and current advocacy.
Overview of major federal disability laws: the ADA, Section 504, IDEA, Fair Housing Act, Air Carrier Access Act, Voting accessibility, and web accessibility standards. Each has its own detailed page.
State disability laws vary significantly. Find your state and learn what rights you have beyond federal law.
Rights frameworks outside the U.S., including CRPD, Marrakesh Treaty (copyright and disabilities), regional human rights systems, and country-by-country rights guides.
How to advocate for your rights: filing ADA complaints, Section 504 complaints, Fair Housing complaints, workplace discrimination claims. Includes working with legal aid, organizing strategies, and disability justice principles.
Each major U.S. law has its own comprehensive page with plain language explanations, specific applications, and how to enforce your rights:
The most comprehensive disability rights law in the U.S. Covers employment, public accommodations, government services, telecommunications, and more. Includes Title I (employment), Title II (government services), and Title III (public accommodations).
Civil rights law prohibiting discrimination in federally funded programs. Critical for education (schools that receive federal funds must accommodate students) and healthcare.
Federal law requiring free, appropriate public education and Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) for disabled students. Covers evaluation, placement, discipline, and parent rights.
Federal law prohibiting housing discrimination and requiring accessibility modifications and reasonable accommodations in housing.
Federal law requiring airlines to provide accessibility accommodations and ensuring your disability-related equipment travels with you safely.
Summary of additional state-specific laws, many of which go beyond federal protections.
Different agencies handle complaints depending on the law:
ADA Complaints: File with the Department of Justice, HHS, Department of Education, or FTC depending on the sector.
Section 504 Complaints: File with the relevant federal agency (HHS for healthcare, Department of Education for schools, etc.).
Fair Housing Complaints: File with HUD (U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development).
IDEA Complaints: File with your state Department of Education.
Step-by-step guide to filing →
The CRPD is the first UN human rights treaty to focus specifically on disability. It establishes that disabled people are rights-holders, not charity cases. Key principles include:
While the U.S. has not ratified the CRPD, many countries have, and it influences disability policy globally.
Beyond individual complaint-filing, disability justice asks: How do we transform systems? How do we center the most marginalized? How do we build collective power?
Disability justice advocacy might mean:
Disability justice principles in advocacy →
You don't need to hire a lawyer. Resources include:
Every section of this wiki includes relevant rights information:
Disability rights frameworks and advocacy strategies differ by country. This wiki is expanding to cover:
Have experience filing a complaint? Know about a disability rights law that should be explained? Represent a specific community?
We welcome contributions, especially from disabled people, people of color, Mad people, and those navigating multiply-marginalized identities in disability rights systems.
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