Denmark apologizes to the victims of Greenland’s Inuit for forced contraception

Denmark Met Frederiksen Prime Minister has issued a long -awaited apology to women in Greenland and their families affected by what she called “systematic discrimination” during a contraceptive campaign.

In the 1960s and 1970s, thousands of Inuit women and girls aged 12 were equipped with contraceptive devices as part of a birth control program administered by Danish doctors.

“We can’t change what happened. But we can take responsibility,” Fredericksen said for the scandal.

“On behalf of Denmark, I would like to say that I am sorry,” she said, admitting that the victims had “physical and psychological harm.”

The scale of the birth control program was brought to light in 2022 by an investigative podcast called Spiral campaign – 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 last few years, many women have come out to say that they have been equipped with an internal pit (IUD) without their knowledge or consent.

Few before that were aware of the contraceptive campaign and the reports caused shock and anger.

The records from the National Archives show that between 1966 and 1970, 4,500 women and girls, some of the 13 years, were implanted Iud.

It is not clear from them how many cases there is no consent. However, dozens of women went out to share traumatic personal accounts, and some remained sterile.

Since then, a group of 143 women filed a case against the Danish state requiring compensation: 138 of them were under 18 at the time.

The use of birth control was so widespread that Greenland’s population increases greatly slowed down.

Speaking on Danish television last December, former Greenland Prime Minister, Mute B EGEDE, said it was a “genocide”.

An official investigation is launched and the findings will be published next month after two years of investigation.

“Although we do not have the full picture,” said Fredericksen, “it makes a serious impression on the government that so many Greenland women unanimously report that they have been abused by the Danish health system.”

One of the victims, Henriet Bertelsen, said she was pleased with the apology, even if she had come quite late.

Naja Libert, who is a psychologist, told the BBC in an early interview that it was 100% clear that the government had violated the law by “violating our human rights and causing us serious harm”.

“An apology, it’s nice, of course, and makes my customers happy. It’s part of what they need,” Mads said, Priming, the lawyer representing the women, told the BBC.

“(What) we have heard anything,” he added, “whether they also admit or agree that this is a violation of human rights.”

Greenland was a Danish colony until 1953 and did not receive home management until 1979, but Copenhagen continued to control the healthcare system before Greenland took responsibility in 1992.

Several cases of forced contraception were also held after that time and in 2018, as the BBC had previously reported.

Greenland Prime Minister Jens-Frederick Nielsen said his government also acknowledged his responsibility, but said on Facebook that it was time to apologize officially.

“For too long, the victims … have been muted to death. It is sad that it is only known now – it’s too late and too bad,” he said.

“We cannot change what happened. But we can take responsibility for the fact that the truth comes out and this responsibility is placed where it belongs.

Mette Frederiksen acknowledged that the case caused “anger and sadness for many Grenlans and many families” and damaged the perceptions of Denmark.

This case is one of several contradictions involving the Danish attitude towards Greenland, including forced adoption, removal of Inuit children from their families and legally without fathers who have shaken relations between the Arctic territory and Copenhagen and have contributed to calls for independence.

Greenland and Denmark agreed to investigate the coil scandal in 2022 at the time when Danish historian Soren Rud Before the BBC that the justification of politics is partly financial, but also the result of colonial attitudes.

After World War II, the tiny population of Greenland grew and until 1970 it almost doubled. Denmark said that Denmark wants to limit the population growth, adding that this reduces “the challenges of providing residential and well -being.”

Aaja Chemnitz, a MP from Greenland in the Danish Parliament, welcomed the apology and told the BBC that it was important for both Greenland and the Dan society to close.

“Those different cases that are not historical but actually present. These are people who live today who have been affected by it.”

“We also need to focus on female compensation,” she continued. “Of course, we’ll look at the report. We’ll follow politically.”