Danish PM Apologizes to 4,500 Greenlandic Women Over Forced Contraception

Denmark and Greenland have issued formal apologies for a forced contraception campaign that targeted over 4,500 Greenlandic Inuit women from the 1960s until 1992, aiming to reduce the Inuit birth rate. Danish authorities fitted many women, including teenagers, with intrauterine devices (IUDs) without their or their families' consent, leading to physical and psychological harm and, in many cases, sterility. The campaign, which sought to limit population growth amid improving living conditions and healthcare, has been widely condemned as a violation of human rights and systematic discrimination against Greenlanders. Greenland assumed control of its health system in 1992 but has also acknowledged responsibility for cases occurring after that date. Nearly 150 women have sued Denmark for compensation, prompting ongoing investigations and an upcoming official report. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen emphasized accountability and expressed regret for both the forced contraception and broader discrimination faced by Greenlanders, while Greenland's Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen apologized for his government's role and supported compensations.