Victims from a historical campaign where thousands comprising Greenlandic women and girls were forcibly fitted with intrauterine devices (IUDs) absent informed permission have claimed a win in their court battle with the Danish government.
Officials have confirmed that they will be entitled to compensation from a settlement package.
Parliamentary Settlement Finalized
Folketinget, and state authorities, finalized a deal granting an estimated four thousand five hundred Greenlandic women to claim 300,000 DKK (around thirty-five thousand pounds) each.
This decision comes after a three-year campaign by a group of claimants that filed a lawsuit seeking damages for the trauma and distress they had endured, which they said was a violation of their personal rights.
Historical Background
The Danish state administered Greenland under colonial rule for decades maintaining control of the island's healthcare system into the late 20th century.
In September, after years of failing to address the violations, Denmark issued a formal official apology. The country's leader apologized for the “systemic discrimination” against women and girls by the Danish healthcare system.
“It has had major consequences for the affected women who have experienced both physical but also psychological harm,” said a government minister.
Redress Process Details
Authorities clarified that women who were given contraception covertly during a thirty-one year period would be able to seek compensation from April 2026. The law will come into force in June.
Based on the findings of an independent inquiry of contraceptive practices from that era, roughly 4,500 women are potentially entitled to compensation.
To qualify, the women must:
- Provide a “credible report” detailing what happened.
- Have lived on the island throughout the specified timeframe.
- Declare on oath that they possessed no knowledge nor gave permission for the procedure.
Perspectives from the Victims
A women, recalling being fourteen when she was told to report for medical attention for no clear reason, said the experience as feeling an assault.
“Speaking out publicly to the media has been successful,” she stated. “We started in 2022 and now within three years we have secured an official apology plus compensation.”
A different perspective expressed satisfaction, stating, “We are happy. As my mother put it: we won.” While some believe the amount should have been higher, they expressed contentment over the acknowledgment of what happened.
Ministerial Reactions
A Greenlandic official called the settlement as “long overdue”. Stating clearly, “It is not primarily financial. It concerns recognition of the injury and the profound implications.”
A Danish health minister acknowledged these events was a “troubling period within the joint past”, noting that compensation “will not erase the pain for survivors” yet it “serves to recognize and apologise for what they endured.”
