Denmark has formally apologised to thousands of Inuit women from Greenland who were subjected to forced contraception measures between the 1960s and early 1990s.
Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen delivered the statement on Wednesday, acknowledging that while past actions cannot be undone, the Danish state accepts responsibility for what happened.
The controversial campaign targeted around half of Greenland’s Inuit female population, an estimated 4,500 women, many of them teenagers.
Without consent, authorities fitted intrauterine devices (IUDs) as part of a policy to limit population growth in Greenland, which had been rising following improved health services and living standards.
The consequences left many women unable to have children, alongside lasting physical and emotional harm.
Greenland was formally integrated into Denmark in 1953, gained home rule in 1979, and assumed control of health care in 1992—the same year the practice ended.
Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen also extended an apology, stressing that women had lived with the long-term consequences of medical interventions forced upon them.
Around 150 women have filed lawsuits against Denmark, demanding compensation for violations of their rights.
A broader investigative report into the scandal is expected to be released in the coming month, potentially shaping future accountability and redress.
Denmark Apologizes for Decades of Forced Birth Control on Inuit Women
