In a landmark vote, the Danish Parliament approved a compensation scheme for Greenlandic women who were implanted with intrauterine devices without their consent. The policy, carried out by Danish authorities in Greenland from the 1960s to the 1980s, was intended to curb population growth on the Arctic island, which Denmark colonized and continues to govern as an autonomous territory.
According to the bill, eligible women will receive lump-sum payments, though specific amounts and eligibility criteria are still being finalized. The compensation follows years of advocacy by survivors and a 2022 official report that documented the systematic nature of the practice. Danish health officials at the time often performed IUD insertions on young women, including teenagers, during routine checkups or after childbirth, without informing them of the procedure or its effects.
“This is a necessary step toward acknowledging a grave injustice,” said Aaja Chemnitz Larsen, a Greenlandic member of the Danish Parliament who pushed for the legislation. “For decades, the women who suffered this violation were silenced. Now their voices are finally being heard.”
The bill’s passage comes amid broader scrutiny of Denmark’s historical treatment of Greenlanders, including the controversial relocation of Inuit families and forced separation of children from their parents. Greenland, which gained home rule in 1979 and increased autonomy in 2009, maintains close ties to Denmark, but the legacy of colonial-era policies continues to strain relations.