Apartheid was a system of institutionalized racial segregation and discrimination that was enforced in South Africa from 1948 to 1994. The word apartheid means "separateness" in Afrikaans, and the policy aimed to separate different racial groups, particularly black South Africans, from white South Africans in all aspects of life, including education, housing, employment, and public facilities. Apartheid also restricted the political rights of non-white South Africans, denying them the right to vote and participate in the country's government. The system was widely condemned by the international community for its violation of human rights and inequality.
