Victims of a past campaign in which thousands of Inuit women and girls reportedly were forcibly fitted with contraceptive coils absent informed permission have claimed a win in their court battle against the Danish government.
Officials have confirmed the women are now eligible for compensation from a reconciliation fund.
Folketinget, and the government, reached an agreement granting an estimated 4,500 affected individuals to claim kr. 300,000 (£35,000) each.
This announcement comes after a three-year battle led by 143 women who initiated legal proceedings seeking compensation for the trauma and distress they experienced, which they said constituted a violation of their personal rights.
Denmark administered Greenland as a colony until 1953 maintaining authority over the island's healthcare system into the late 20th century.
In September, after years of failing to address these actions, Denmark made an expression of regret. The country's leader expressed sorrow over the “institutional prejudice” against women and girls by the state medical apparatus.
“These actions caused significant impacts for the affected women who have experienced both bodily and psychological harm,” stated the senior official.
Authorities stated that women who were given contraception without their knowledge or consent during a thirty-one year period would be able to apply for payment from April 2026. The law will come into force by mid-year.
According to results of an independent investigation into medical procedures from that era, an estimated 4,500 women may be eligible for compensation.
To qualify, applicants will need to:
A women, recalling being fourteen at the time she was instructed to go for medical attention for no clear reason, described the experience as feeling a violation.
“Our activism as speakers and interviewees has been successful,” she stated. “We started two years ago resulting in a relatively short time we have secured an apology plus financial acknowledgment.”
Another perspective shared satisfaction, saying, “We are happy. Like my mother said: we won.” While some believe the amount should have been higher, they expressed relief regarding the recognition of past events.
A Greenlandic official described the compensation as “well past due”. Stating clearly, “This isn't primarily financial. It is about recognition of the hurt and its very severe consequences.”
The relevant cabinet member conceded these events represent a “dark chapter in our joint past”, noting that compensation “cannot remove the suffering for survivors” yet it “serves to acknowledge and express regret over the experiences.”
