Denmark forced thousands of women in Greenland to use contraceptives, and now they are demanding compensation outside

In the late 1960s, Denmark introduced a contraception policy to limit the birth rate in the Arctic region, which, although no longer a colony since 1953, remained under Copenhagen’s control.

A series of podcasts based on the National Archives and broadcast in the spring of 2022 by Danish public broadcaster DR revealed the scope of the campaign at a time when Denmark and Greenland, which were granted independent territory status in 2009, were expanding their historical ties. .

The commission of inquiry into contraception policy, which began last year, must publish its findings in 2025. But the women concerned want to get satisfaction faster.

“We do not want to wait for the results of the investigation,” said psychologist Naga Lieberth, who filed the claim for damages. “We’re getting older. Our oldest, who had an IUD in the 1960s, was born in his 40s and is approaching his 80s,” she explained. We want to take action now.”

In the 1960s and 1970s, approximately 4,500 Inuit were fitted with IUDs without the consent of their families or families. According to Lieberth, a large number of women did not know they were wearing contraception, and until recently, gynecologists in Greenland discovered the presence of IUDs in women who were not aware of their existence.

“It is 100% clear that the government has broken the law, violated our human rights and caused us serious harm,” LeBerth added.

According to her, the government will reject their requests pending the results of the investigation. In this case, the case will be taken to court.

In 2022, six Inuit received an apology and compensation, more than 70 years after being separated from their families to take part in an experiment to create a Danish-speaking elite on the island.