Denmark and Greenland Address Historic Mistreatment of Inuit Women

Denmark and Greenland have issued a formal apology for their historical mistreatment of Greenlandic Indigenous girls and women, including the use of forced contraception. This comes in the wake of nearly 150 Inuit women filing lawsuits against Denmark, seeking compensation for alleged human rights violations.

The controversy stems from practices in the 1960s where Danish health authorities fitted thousands of women with intrauterine contraceptive devices without their consent, in an attempt to control population growth in Greenland. Many affected women were teenagers at the time and were unaware of the procedures.

In a joint statement, the governments expressed remorse ahead of an upcoming report on the matter. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen expressed regret for the historic discrimination and acknowledged the harm caused. Greenland's government has also acknowledged its responsibility and plans to compensate victims.

(With inputs from agencies.)