In brief
In a significant acknowledgment of past wrongs, Denmark's Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has apologized to the Inuit women of Greenland affected by a government-administered contraceptive program in the 60s and 70s. During this era, thousands of women and girls, some as young as 12, were fitted with intrauterine devices without their consent. The apology comes in the wake of revelations regarding systematic discrimination and abuse, with calls for accountability and compensation still ongoing.
Denmark's Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has issued a long-awaited apology to the Greenlandic women and their families affected by what she called systematic discrimination during a contraceptive campaign. During the 1960s and 70s thousands of Inuit women and girls as young as 12 were fitted with contraceptive devices, as part of a birth-control programme administered by Danish doctors.We cannot change what has happened. But we can take responsibility, Frederiksen said of the scandal. On behalf of Denmark, I would like to say sorry, she stated, acknowledging that victims had experienced both physical and psychological harm.The scale of the birth-control programme was first brought to light in 2022, by an investigative podcast called *Spiralkampagnen* - the coil campaign. The device used is commonly known as a coil and is placed inside the womb, or uterus, to prevent pregnancy. In the past few years, many women have come forward to say they were fitted with an intra-uterine device (IUD) without their knowledge or consent. Few had previously been aware of the contraceptive campaign, and the reports prompted shock and anger.Records from the national archives showed that, between 1966 and 1970, 4,500 women and girls, some as young as 13, had an IUD implanted, leading to severe health issues for some, including infertility. A group of 143 women has filed a lawsuit against the Danish state demanding compensation. Frederiksen acknowledged that the case had caused anger and sadness, and emphasized the importance of addressing the underlying issues and securing the dignity and rights of those affected.
