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Denmark to compensate Greenlandic women affected by forced IUD scandal
Denmark has announced plans to provide financial compensation to Greenlandic women who were subjected to forced intrauterine device (IUD) insertions during the 1960s and 1970s, as well as to other Greenlanders who suffered systemic discrimination.
Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen confirmed on Monday that her government will establish a “reconciliation fund”, which will be formally discussed during her upcoming visit to Nuuk for an event marking Denmark’s official apology for the scandal.
Between 1966 and 1970, more than 4,500 women and girls, some as young as 12, were fitted with contraceptive devices by Danish doctors without their knowledge or consent. The policy, long condemned by campaigners, was reportedly aimed at limiting Greenland’s population growth.
The announcement comes shortly after Denmark’s national appeals board overturned a controversial decision to separate a Greenlandic mother from her newborn daughter, citing discredited “parenting competence” tests. The case has fueled outrage over systemic discrimination faced by Greenlanders in Denmark.
Frederiksen stressed that while past injustices cannot be undone, Denmark has a duty to acknowledge its actions and foster reconciliation. Victims and activists welcomed the move, though some argued it came too late.
The planned compensation is part of broader efforts to improve relations between Copenhagen and Nuuk, as Greenland continues to call for greater autonomy within the Danish realm.