The anti-apartheid movement was a global campaign aimed at ending the system of racial segregation and discrimination in South Africa. This system, known as apartheid, enforced strict racial divisions and denied basic rights to the non-white population. Activists, both within South Africa and internationally, worked to raise awareness, organize protests, and apply economic pressure through boycotts and sanctions. Key figures in the movement included Nelson Mandela, who became a symbol of resistance after spending 27 years in prison. The movement gained momentum in the 1980s, leading to increased international condemnation of apartheid. Ultimately, the efforts of activists contributed to the dismantling of the apartheid system and the establishment of a democratic government in 1994.