Denmark apologizes to Greenland Indigenous women for forced contraception

Denmark's Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen apologized to Greenlandic Indigenous girls and women who were given invasive contraception by Danish health authorities without their consent, during a ceremony in Nuuk on Wednesday.

Frederiksen, her voice breaking, said there is only one thing to say: sorry, and she emphasized that Denmark and Greenland would take responsibility for a history that should never have been written. She spoke after Greenland's prime minister, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, delivered a somber address in Greenlandic. On behalf of Denmark, she added, sorry.

Last month, Denmark and Greenland published apologies for their roles ahead of the independent investigation into the abuse.

An independent investigation released earlier this month found Inuit victims as young as 12 were fitted with IUDs or given hormonal birth control injections without informed consent. Investigators spoke with 354 women, but authorities say more than 4,000 women and girls were given IUDs between the 1960s and mid-1970s; the study did not determine how many cases lacked consent. The stated aim of the policy, according to the report, was to curb population growth amid a rapidly increasing Greenland population, as health improvements and better living conditions spurred growth on the Arctic island.

Katrine Petersen, now 52 and living in Denmark, described her experience: at age 13 she was fitted with an IUD after becoming pregnant; a Greenlandic hospital terminated the pregnancy, and she did not learn about the device until years later. She removed the IUD earlier this year and said the episode contributed to years of trauma, including anger, depression, and struggles with alcohol. "Because of my age, I didn’t know what to do," Petersen said of her youth, noting that she kept the episode to herself for decades.

Kirstine Berthelsen, 66, who plans to attend the Nuuk ceremony, said she believes she was 14 when she received an IUD in Greenland. She recalls years of pain, and later two miscarriages that she attributes to complications from the contraception. "Of course, I am angry at the Danish state because of this act," she said, preparing for the trip to Nuuk. "I am ready for reconciliation, because it will help me. It will personally be a big event for me, and I’m sure it will ease."

Greenland's modern status within the Danish realm is central to understanding the ceremony. Greenland remained a Danish colony until 1953, becoming a Danish province, and in 1979 it gained home rule. About 30 years later, Greenland moved to a self-governing status, while health programs were increasingly run by Greenlandic authorities starting in 1992. The abuses described in the investigation are part of a broader history of Danish governance aimed at assimilation, including the removal of Inuit children from families and controversial parental competency tests that led to the forced separation of Greenlandic families.

The apology arrives at a time of geopolitical sensitivity around Greenland. The island sits near major Arctic shipping routes and is believed to hold substantial mineral resources. The episode has highlighted tensions between Denmark and Greenland, including efforts to placate the rising independence movement, even as outside interests, notably from the United States, seek greater influence over the territory. President Donald Trump has been cited in discussions about potential U.S. involvement in Greenland’s future, underscoring the broader strategic stakes for the region.

Taken together, the apologies and the investigation’s findings mark an attempt to confront painful chapters in Greenland's history. Survivors and communities have welcomed the ritual of acknowledgment, even as many say accountability and meaningful reforms will require more time, resources, and ongoing engagement from Danish and Greenlandic authorities to heal deep wounds and rebuild trust.