THE RIGHT TO EQUALITY AND NON-DISCRIMINATION FOR CHILDREN WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER

Abstract

This study analyzes the effectiveness of public policies and educational practices aimed at guaranteeing the right to equality and non-discrimination for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in Brazil. It starts from the robust national legal framework, which includes the Federal Constitution of 1988, the Child and Adolescent Statute, and specific legislation such as Law No. 12,764/2012 (National Policy for the Protection of the Rights of Persons with ASD). The research, qualitative in nature and based on a bibliographic review, identifies that, despite normative advances, significant barriers to the real inclusion of these children persist. These obstacles range from the lack of material resources and specialized training for education professionals to the persistence of social stigmas and insufficient intersectoral coordination between health, education, and social assistance policies. It concludes that the realization of substantive equality requires overcoming mere formal inclusion, proposing recommendations such as the detailed regulation of policies, the creation of qualitative assessment indicators, the mandatory implementation of teacher training on neurodiversity, and the strengthening of oversight and social control mechanisms. The work emphasizes the need for a cultural and institutional transformation so that legally guaranteed rights translate into concrete experiences of dignity, learning, and full social participation for autistic children.