Hundreds of Greenlandic women and girls were forcibly given contraception between 1960 and 1991, report says
Over 350 Indigenous women and girls in Greenland were given contraception without consent by Danish health authorities between 1960 and 1991, according to an independent report. Many victims were teenagers or even younger and suffered health problems due to these actions. Denmark and Greenland have apologized for these actions, which aimed to control the population growth in Greenland.
Key Facts:
- Over 350 Greenlandic women and girls were given contraception without their consent from 1960 to 1991.
- The women were mostly fitted with intrauterine devices (IUDs) or given hormonal birth control shots.
- The victims were mainly teenagers, some as young as 12, and many experienced health issues like pain and infections.
- Denmark and Greenland apologized last month for their involvement in these actions.
- Approximately 4,500 women and girls in total were affected during that period.
- The goal was reportedly to limit Greenland's population growth due to improved living conditions.
- Greenland assumed control of its healthcare on January 1, 1992.
- A separate lawsuit for compensation by nearly 150 Inuit women against Denmark is ongoing.