Denmark's Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has issued a long-awaited apology to the Greenlandic women and their families affected by what she called systematic discrimination during a contraceptive campaign.
During the 1960s and 70s, thousands of Inuit women and girls as young as 12 were fitted with contraceptive devices as part of a birth-control programme administered by Danish doctors.
We cannot change what has happened. But we can take responsibility, Frederiksen said of the scandal.
On behalf of Denmark, I would like to say sorry, she stated, acknowledging that victims had experienced both physical and psychological harm.
The scale of the birth-control programme was first brought to light in 2022 by an investigative podcast called Spiralkampagnen - the coil campaign. The device used is commonly known as a coil and is placed inside the womb to prevent pregnancy.
Many women have come forward claiming they were fitted with an intra-uterine device (IUD) without their knowledge or consent, which spurred public outrage.
Records show that from 1966 to 1970, 4,500 women and girls had an IUD implanted, though it remains unclear how many lacked consent. Dozens have shared traumatic personal accounts, with some experiencing infertility.
A lawsuit has been filed by 143 women against the Danish state, with 138 of them under 18 at the time of the procedures. This widespread practice significantly slowed Greenland's population growth.
Mette Frederiksen recognized that her government's actions have caused anger and sadness for many Greenlanders and many families.
The scandal is part of a series of controversies over the Danish treatment of Greenland, including forced adoptions and historical injustices, that have sparked local calls for independence.
Greenland's Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen also recognized the government's responsibility, emphasizing that the victims have remained silent for too long.
