Greenland: Women seek compensation over involuntary birth control scandal from 1960s

A group of 67 women from Greenland is seeking compensation from the Danish government for a campaign of involuntary birth control that occurred in the 1960s. This campaign targeted at least 4,500 women, including teenagers, with the aim of limiting birth rates among the indigenous population of Greenland, which was a Danish colony until 1953.

The extensive nature of this campaign was exposed last year in a podcast published by Danish broadcaster DR. National archive records revealed that between 1966 and 1970, intrauterine devices (IUDs) were implanted in women, some as young as 13, without their knowledge or consent, reported BBC.

A commission established by the Danish and Greenlandic governments to investigate this programme is not due to deliver its findings until May 2025. However, the affected women, some now in their 70s, are not willing to wait for the results of the inquiry. They are demanding compensation of 300,000 kroner ($42,150) each.

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Health Complications and Lack of Awareness

Some women experienced serious health complications, including infertility, as the devices inserted were often too large for their bodies. In other cases, women were completely unaware of the presence of these devices until they were discovered recently during gynaecological examinations.

Psychologist Naja Lyberth, who initiated the compensation claim, has accused the Danish government of wanting to control Greenland's population size in order to reduce welfare costs. She asserts that the government violated human rights and caused serious harm to the affected women.

Legal action

Mads Pramming, the lawyer representing the women, submitted the compensation claim to Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen's office. While it is expected that the government may delay the request until the commission concludes its investigation, the group is prepared to take legal action if necessary.

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In the past year, Denmark issued an apology and provided compensation to six Inuit peoplewho were separated from their families in the 1950s as part of an effort to establish a Danish-speaking elite within Greenland.

Greenland, with a population of approximately 57,000, is the largest island and the northernmost land area globally. While it has its own flag, language, and prime minister, aspects like currency, the justice system, and foreign and security affairs are still under Danish control.

The women affected by the forced birth control campaign are determined to seek justice and acknowledgement of the harm they endured, regardless of the ongoing commission's findings.

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