Danish authorities have voted in overwhelming favour to scrap women-only swimming sessions used by migrants at a swimming pool.

Officials in the city of Aarhus demanded the end of gender-separated sessions at the Gellerupbadet swimming hall saying people need to 'learn to swim together'.

Many of the women who use the sessions are Muslim migrants who live on a nearby housing estate.

Danish authorities have voted in overwhelming favour to scrap women-only swimming sessions used by migrants at a swimming pool in the city of Aarhus

But the ruling party on Aarhus City Council, Venstre, say that separating men and women has no place in Denmark.

The proposal said: 'Children and adults need to learn that it is completely natural to swim together regardless of religious belief.

'Therefore it is a disservice and not an integration initiative when special offers are made.'

However, thelocal.dk reported that the Danish Institute for Human Rights would be filing a complaint to Denmark's Anti-Discrimination Board.

They claim scrapping women-only sessions will repress Muslim females who want to go swimming.

Institute spokeswoman Maria Ventegodt told the Ritzau news agency: 'When you take away the opportunity you make it more difficult for ethnic minority women to use the swimming pool and participate in society. I believe that is problematic.

Children and adults need to learn that it is completely natural to swim together regardless of religious belief

'It is very important to work toward eliminating social controls, but there is nothing to indicate that the women use this programme because they are forced to by their husbands or fathers.'

However, in neighouring Sweden, an increasing number of swimming pools in Sweden are offering gender-segregated hours in order to encourage more women to visit.

The rise in women-only swimming hours has been linked to the growing Muslim population in Sweden, which has sparked fierce debate and has been criticized by the government.

Sweden's Discrimination Ombudsman has launched an investigation into whether the women-only hours is violating equality law by discriminating against men.