Violations to the Right to Respect for Home and the Family:

Although all people of “full age” have the right to marry, many persons with disabilities, especially persons with intellectual or psychosocial disabilities, are denied this right by State legislation, policy, and/or practice. Where they do not wish to marry, persons with disabilities are also often denied the equal opportunity to experience their sexuality and have sexual or other intimate relationships.

Persons with disabilities may find they are denied the opportunity to be adoptive parents, guardians, or trustees of children because of their disability. Where persons with disabilities do have children, States or family members often insist that the children be removed and cared for by others because of prevailing assumptions that being raised by parents with disabilities is “not in the best interests of the child.”