Abstract

The Disability Rights Movement (DRM) has emerged as a transformative socio-political force that has redefined disability from a medicalized condition to a rights-based category grounded in citizenship, inclusion, and social justice. While the movement has achieved significant legislative and institutional recognition globally, existing scholarship remains disproportionately centred on Euro-American histories and theoretical frameworks, resulting in limited engagement with transnational trajectories and Global South disability politics. Addressing this gap, the present review paper critically examines the historical evolution and contemporary dynamics of the Disability Rights Movement through a transnational and interdisciplinary analytical framework. The study adopts a qualitative narrative review design, synthesizing multidisciplinary scholarship, international policy documents, legislative frameworks, and activist discourse. The analysis integrates genealogical inquiry, transnational comparison, and critical policy discourse interpretation to examine how disability rights have been conceptualized, institutionalized, and mobilized across diverse geopolitical contexts. The review highlights that the movement’s transition from charity and medical paradigms toward rights-based frameworks has been historically uneven, shaped by regional socio-political conditions, governance structures, and cultural perceptions of disability. It further identifies tensions between juridical recognition and lived accessibility, particularly within resource-constrained contexts. The study foregrounds the central role of grassroots mobilization and Disabled People’s Organizations in translating institutional rights discourse into localized advocacy practices. Additionally, it examines the expanding influence of digital platforms in reshaping disability activism, visibility, and transnational solidarity, while also reflecting persistent technological access inequalities. By synthesizing historical, policy, and activist perspectives, the paper advances a multidimensional understanding of the Disability Rights Movement as a contested and evolving field of global social justice. It calls for culturally responsive governance frameworks and intersectionally informed advocacy to strengthen the future trajectory of disability rights mobilization.