Greenlandic women strive for compensation due to involuntary administration of birth control

A group of 67 women from Greenland are demanding compensation from the Danish government due to a campaign of forced birth control that occurred in the 1960s. The initiative aimed to limit birth rates among the indigenous population, resulting in around 4,500 women, including teenagers, being fitted with coils. While the inquiry into the matter is not expected to conclude until 2025, the women, some of whom are now in their 70s, want compensation immediately. They are seeking 300,000 kroner ($42,150) each. Greenland was a Danish colony until 1953 and is now a semi-sovereign territory of Denmark. The extent of the campaign was brought to light last year through a podcast released by Danish broadcaster DR. National archives revealed that between 1966 and 1970, IUDs were secretly and non-consensually inserted into women, some as young as 13. A commission established by the Danish and Greenlandic governments to investigate the full scope of the program is not anticipated to present its findings until May 2025. Psychologist Naja Lyberth, who initiated the compensation claim, stated that they do not want to wait for the inquiry's results as the affected women are growing older. Some of them, who had IUDs inserted in the 1960s, are now approaching their 80s and wish to take action now. Lyberth added that in some instances, the devices were improperly sized for the girls' bodies, leading to severe health complications and even infertility. In other cases, the women were not aware of the devices until recently discovered by gynecologists. Lyberth accused the Danish government at the time of wanting to control Greenland's population size to save on welfare expenses. She declared that it is evident that the government violated their human rights and caused significant harm. Mads Pramming, the lawyer representing the women, sent a claim on their behalf to Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen's office on Monday. Lyberth anticipates that the government will reject their request until the commission's findings are announced, in which case, the group intends to pursue legal action. Last year, Denmark apologized and provided compensation to six Inuit individuals who were forcibly removed from their families in the 1950s in an effort to establish a Danish-speaking elite in Greenland. Greenland, the largest island and northernmost area of land in the world, has a population of only 57,000. Although it has its own flag, language, and prime minister, Denmark retains control over its currency, justice system, and foreign and security affairs.