justice and sustainable development. International instruments such as the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) emphasize the necessity of meaningful participation of these individuals in decision-making processes; however, global evidence indicates the persistence of structural and cultural challenges in realizing this goal. This study aimed to identify the patterns, barriers, and strategies for enhancing the participation of persons with disabilities in policymaking through a qualitative systematic review using the meta-synthesis approach. Data analysis followed the seven-step framework of Barroso and Sandelowski (2006) and was structured according to the PRISMA 2020 guidelines. The study population consisted of scientific articles published between 2001 and 2025 in reputable national and international databases, from which 47 studies met the inclusion criteria. Data were coded and analyzed using NVivo software. To ensure the reliability of the meta-synthesis, inter-coder reliability was calculated using Cohen’s Kappa (κ = 0.78), indicating a strong level of agreement. The analysis revealed that participation occurs in various forms—direct, institutional, consultative, and technology-driven. Nonetheless, ongoing legal, attitudinal, economic, and inter-organizational barriers continue to hinder equal and effective participation. The findings highlight institutional reform, the use of accessible technologies, and policymaker education as key strategies to promote meaningful participation.
Keywords: Persons with disabilities, Disability rights, Participation, Social policymaking, Metasynthesis.