种族隔离，指在日常生活中，按照不同种族将人群分割开来，使得各种族不能同时使用公共空间或者服务。种族隔离可能是法律规定的，也可能是无法律规定但事实存在的。不论种族隔离是平等隔离，还是不平等隔离，实质上均是一种种族歧视行为。在种族隔离制度下，人民所能拥有的权利是依照其种族背景来划分。

历史上最著名的种族隔离发生在南非和美国，拥有欧洲白人血统者能享有至高的权力地位，而非裔、亚裔与种族混合血统者则受到法律限制其参与政治及提升经济能力的机会。另外，澳大利亚、罗得西亚、德国、印尼等国家也均发生过种族隔离行为。斐济、马来西亚、澳大利亚、以色列等国如今仍存在一定程度的种族隔离行为。有人认为以色列的种族隔离政策比当年的南非还严重。

Segregation is the separation of humans into ethnic or racial groups in daily life. It may apply to activities such as eating in a restaurant, drinking from a water fountain, using a public toilet, attending school, going to the movies, riding on a bus, or in the rental or purchase of a home. Segregation itself is defined by the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance as "the act by which a (natural or legal) person separates other persons on the basis of one of the enumerated grounds without an objective and reasonable justification, in conformity with the proposed definition of discrimination. As a result, the voluntary act of separating oneself from other persons on the basis of one of the enumerated grounds does not constitute segregation". According to the UN Forum on Minority Issues, "The creation and development of classes and schools providing education in minority languages should not be considered impermissible segregation, if the assignment to such classes and schools is of a voluntary nature".