From a Medical to a Social Model: The Evolution of Disability Rights in the Peruvian Constitutional Court’s Jurisprudence (2004–2024)

Alfonso Renato Vargas-Murillo (), Enlil Iván Herrera-Pérez, Rafael Fortunato Supo Hallasi, Carlos Alberto Cueva Quispe and Ilda Nadia Monica de la Asuncion Pari-Bedoya
Additional contact information
Alfonso Renato Vargas-Murillo: Facultad de Derecho y Ciencias Políticas, Universidad Privada del Norte, Lima 15083, Peru
Enlil Iván Herrera-Pérez: Facultad de Derecho y Ciencias Políticas, Universidad Privada de Tacna, Tacna 230101, Peru
Rafael Fortunato Supo Hallasi: Facultad de Derecho y Ciencias Políticas, Universidad Privada de Tacna, Tacna 230101, Peru
Carlos Alberto Cueva Quispe: Facultad de Derecho y Ciencias Políticas, Universidad Privada de Tacna, Tacna 230101, Peru
Ilda Nadia Monica de la Asuncion Pari-Bedoya: Facultad de Derecho, Universidad Tecnológica del Perú, Lima 15073, Peru

Laws, 2025, vol. 14, issue 3, 1-21

Abstract: The evolution of disability rights jurisprudence in Peru’s Constitutional Court (2004–2024) demonstrates a paradigm shift from medical to social models of disability. This research analyzes key Constitutional Court decisions through documentary analysis, identifying three distinct periods: early medical model jurisprudence (2004–2009), transitional incorporation of international standards (2010–2015), and consolidation of the social model (2016–2024). Findings reveal how the Court’s reasoning evolved from focusing on individual impairments and rehabilitation to recognizing disability as arising from societal barriers. The Court progressively developed sophisticated legal standards for disability discrimination, reasonable accommodation, and recognition of communication rights. Despite significant jurisprudential advancement, implementation challenges persist across institutional contexts, evidencing gaps between progressive legal frameworks and practical application. This study contributes to understanding how constitutional courts can drive paradigmatic shifts in human rights protection while highlighting the limitations of judicial interpretation alone in achieving disability rights implementation.

Keywords: disability rights; social model; constitutional interpretation; Peru (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: D78 E61 E62 F13 F42 F68 K0 K1 K2 K3 K4 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/2075-471X/14/3/31/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/2075-471X/14/3/31/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jlawss:v:14:y:2025:i:3:p:31-:d:1648443

Access Statistics for this article

Laws is currently edited by Ms. Heather Liang

More articles in Laws from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().