Swimming pool segregation on the rise to accommodate Muslim migrants in Sweden
SEGREGATED swimming hours are on the rise in Sweden to encourage more Muslim women to exercise.
The rise in women-only swimming hours has been promoted as offering a safe space for women and girls who may not be comfortable with showing their bodies in swimwear, or who hold conservative beliefs rooted in religion.
It follows reports of sexual attacks in swimming pools by migrant men across Europe, though the scheme is not specifically in reaction to the assaults.
The introduction of gender-segregated hours for religious reasons has sparked a fierce debate in Sweden and has been criticised by the government.
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An investigation has been launched by the Discrimination Ombudsman to decide whether the scheme is violating equality law by discriminating men.
Women-only hours have been offered in Swedish swimming pools since the late Nineties - but there has been a recent increase in popularity after the country accepted tens of thousands of refugees from the Middle East.
Almost 163,000 people applied for asylum in Sweden last year.
Sweden's minister for democracy has blasted the idea of gender segregation for religion reasons.
Alice Bah Kuhnke said: "To claim in the name of religion that you have the right that different parts of society - for example swimming pools, buses and trains - should adapt to your right to believe in what you wish, that is taking things too far."
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Ms Kuhnke said she believes rules that women and men should swim together in public pools is "a victory after many years and generations of gender-equality struggle”.
Per Holfve, a spokesman for the government's Discrimination Ombudsman, said: "We follow the debate and the news feeds and feel that there is a need to clarify this.
"The basic rule of the law is that gender discrimination is forbidden, but if there is a justified means, there can be exceptions made in an appropriate way.
"If the Discrimination Ombudsman rules it is discriminatory against men, the women-only hours at Sweden's swimming pools are likely to be banned.
