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Danish Authorities Apologize for Forcible Contraception of Indigenous Women

9/10/2025

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Summary

Story summary

An investigation found that Danish health authorities forcibly administered contraception to over 350 Greenlandic Indigenous women and girls from the 1960s to 1991.
Victims, some as young as 12, received IUDs or hormonal injections without consent, leading to trauma and health issues.
Last month, both Danish and Greenlandic governments apologized for their roles in this historic mistreatment.
Nearly 150 Inuit women have filed compensation claims against Denmark for human rights violations.
The investigation underscores a history of dehumanizing policies impacting Greenlanders, who gained self-governance in 2009.

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Story summary

An investigation found that Danish health authorities forcibly administered contraception to over 350 Greenlandic Indigenous women and girls from the 1960s to 1991.
Victims, some as young as 12, received IUDs or hormonal injections without consent, leading to trauma and health issues.
Last month, both Danish and Greenlandic governments apologized for their roles in this historic mistreatment.
Nearly 150 Inuit women have filed compensation claims against Denmark for human rights violations.
The investigation underscores a history of dehumanizing policies impacting Greenlanders, who gained self-governance in 2009.