AFRIKAANS: Hierdie proefskrif ondersoek die ontplooiing van die reg rakende persone met gestremdhede in die rigting van ʼn toenemend inklusiewe en geintegreerde regsorde wat die beskerming en bevordering van die regte van persone met gestremdhede op gelyke grondslag met alle ander persone bewerkstellig. Gestremdheid word aan die hand van twee uiteenlopende modelle beoordeel en hanteer. Die twee modelle - die mediese en die sosiale model van gestremdheid - verteenwoordig uiteenlopende opvattinge oor gestremdheid wat in duidelik onderskeibare regsbenaderings neerslag vind. Oor die onlangse dekades het die sosiale model beduidend veld teen die mediese model gewen. Dit het veral neerslag gevind in die internasionale reg, soos dit die afgelope dekades onder die aanvoering van die Verenigde Nasies in omvattende standaardisering en universalisering van menseregte ontwikkel het. Hierdie ontwikkelings word breedvoerig ondersoek. Die groeiende aanklank van die sosiale model ten koste van die mediese model is eweneens merkbaar in twee ander jurisdiksiegebiede, naamlik Europa – binne die konteks van sowel die Europese Raad as die Europese Unie - en die Verenigde State van Amerika. By albei weerspieel die ontplooiing van die positiewe reg ʼn verandering in die beskouing oor die regshantering van persone met gestremdhede. Daarvolgens word gestremdheid toenemend volgens ʼn sosiale model as ʼn vorm van diversiteit eerder as uitsluitlik in terme van ʼn mediese model as afwykend of abnormaal verstaan. Gestremdheid vereis ʼn besondere regsbedeling ten einde daadwerklike gelyke beregtiging vir persone met gestremdhede te verseker eerder as (net) mediese ingryping in ʼn “afwykende toestand” of ʼn “siektetoestand.” Die veranderde regsbedeling oor gestremdheid word deurlopend deur die prisma van die twee modelle beskryf en beoordeel. Na die uitklaar van die betekenis van die modelle aan die begin van die studie volg ʼn historiese oorsig wat die konteks vorm waarbinne die regsontwikkeling rondom gestemdheidsreg sedert die Tweede Wereldoorlog op internasionale terrein (onder die aanvoering van die Verenigde Nasies), in Europa, die VSA en in Suid-Afrika bespreek word. Die studie sluit af met gevolgtrekkings waarin die klem op ʼn beoordeling van die verandering van die reg rakende gestremdheid in die lig van modelle wat in die eerste hoofstuk toegelig is, val. ENGLISH: The thesis investigates a change in perception and the resulting altered juridical management of persons with disabilities towards a more inclusive and integrated public legal order. Such a change positions the protection and promotion of the rights and interests of persons with disabilities on an equal footing with that of other persons. Disability is dealt with and evaluated in relation to two opposing models. The two models of disability – the medical and the social – represent two different perceptions about disability that are laid down in clearly-distinguishable approaches in law. Over the recent decades the social model has gained considerable ground over the medical model. It has found particular favour in international law, as developed over the past decades in the comprehensive standardisation and universalising of human rights under the leadership of the United Nations. These developments are scrutinised thoroughly. The increasing acceptance of the social model to the detriment of the medical model is apparent in two other areas of jurisdiction, namely, Europe – within the context of the European Council and the European Union – and the United States of America. In both these the development of positive law reflects a change in view regarding the way disability is dealt with by the law. Disability is increasingly understood according to a social model as a form of diversity rather than exclusively in accordance with a medical model. Disability requires a unique legal dispensation in order to ensure genuine equal adjudication for persons with disabilities rather than a (mere) medical intervention as a “deviant state” or an “illness”. The changing legal dispensation regarding disability is continuously described and evaluated through the prism of the two models. After an exposition of the models at the beginning of the study a brief historical overview follows, constituting the context within which legal development since the Second World War in the international arena (by way of the activities of the United Nations), in Europe, the USA and South Africa, is discussed. The study ends with conclusions which emphasise an evaluation of the changes in disability law in light of the models that were expounded in the first chapter. / Thesis (LLD)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Public Law / unrestricted