Danish PM issues apology for giving women IUDs without consent
(MENAFN) Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has formally apologized for a campaign in Greenland that imposed contraception on thousands of young women and girls, often without their knowledge or consent. The program, which aimed to control birth rates, involved the insertion of intrauterine devices (IUDs).
The practice took place primarily during the 1960s and 1970s, when Greenland’s healthcare system was still under Danish administration, and largely remained unknown until 2022. That year, a podcast investigation uncovered records indicating that up to 4,500 women and girls had IUDs inserted without informed consent.
In some cases, women received the devices after childbirth without being informed, while in others, language barriers prevented them from understanding the procedure. The revelations caused widespread outrage and renewed demands for accountability.
“We acknowledge that the spiral case is a source of both anger and sorrow for many Greenlanders and many families in Greenland,” Frederiksen said on Wednesday. “We cannot change what has happened. But we can take responsibility. Therefore, on behalf of Denmark, I would like to say: I’m sorry.”
The prime minister highlighted that “the girls and women who were subjected to systematic discrimination” suffered simply because “they are Greenlanders,” offering an apology “for the physical and psychological harm they have suffered, for being let down.”
Frederiksen also pledged that discussions with Greenland’s government would continue following the release of a full investigation, including consideration of potential financial compensation for the affected women.
An independent inquiry into the scandal is underway, with results expected to be published in September 2025.
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