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 program 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 acknowledged, admitting that victims had experienced both physical and psychological harm.
The scale of the operation was first uncovered in 2022, through an investigative podcast called Spiralkampagnen - the coil campaign. The device, commonly known as a coil, is placed inside the womb to prevent pregnancy. Many women shared accounts of being fitted with an intra-uterine device (IUD) without their knowledge or consent, prompting outrage.
Records from national archives reveal that between 1966 and 1970, about 4,500 women and girls underwent IUD implantation, leading to serious health issues, including infertility for some. A group of 143 women has filed a lawsuit demanding compensation, with 138 of them being under 18 at the time.
Kathrine Vang, a psychologist, noted the importance of recognizing the violation of human rights that occurred. The inquiry launched in 2022 seeks to detail the extent of the abuses and ensure accountability.
Greenland's Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen commented on Denmark's official apology, stating that the victims have been silenced for too long and expressing a shared responsibility among authorities moving forward. Frederiksen's apology, though appreciated, comes as society seeks to process the damage done and address ongoing issues related to the historical relationship between Denmark and Greenland.
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 program 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 acknowledged, admitting that victims had experienced both physical and psychological harm.
The scale of the operation was first uncovered in 2022, through an investigative podcast called Spiralkampagnen - the coil campaign. The device, commonly known as a coil, is placed inside the womb to prevent pregnancy. Many women shared accounts of being fitted with an intra-uterine device (IUD) without their knowledge or consent, prompting outrage.
Records from national archives reveal that between 1966 and 1970, about 4,500 women and girls underwent IUD implantation, leading to serious health issues, including infertility for some. A group of 143 women has filed a lawsuit demanding compensation, with 138 of them being under 18 at the time.
Kathrine Vang, a psychologist, noted the importance of recognizing the violation of human rights that occurred. The inquiry launched in 2022 seeks to detail the extent of the abuses and ensure accountability.
Greenland's Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen commented on Denmark's official apology, stating that the victims have been silenced for too long and expressing a shared responsibility among authorities moving forward. Frederiksen's apology, though appreciated, comes as society seeks to process the damage done and address ongoing issues related to the historical relationship between Denmark and Greenland.
