Segregation refers to the act and process of physically, socially, or legally separating two or more groups of people, often based on characteristics such as race, ethnicity, religion, gender, or socioeconomic status. While segregation can occur in various forms, it is frequently imposed on a minority group by a dominant group within a society, leading to unequal access to resources, opportunities, and social institutions such as housing, education, healthcare, and employment. Segregation can be enforced through explicit laws and policies (de jure segregation) or through informal social norms and practices (de facto segregation). It often results in social isolation, limited intergroup contact, and the perpetuation of inequalities between the separated groups. The history of segregation in various parts of the world, such as racial segregation in the United States and apartheid in South Africa, demonstrates its profound and lasting negative impacts on marginalised groups and society as a whole.