Listen: Denmark and Greenland apologise for forced contraception of Indigenous women

Denmark’s prime minister Mette Frederiksen and Jens-Frederik Nielsen, the prime minister of Greenland apologised officially this Wednesday for the roles of their countries in the historic mistreatment of Greenlandic Indigenous girls and women, including forced contraception under the so-called “Spiral Case.”

But can an apology alone deliver justice?

Production: By Europod, in co-production with Sphera Network.

EUobserver is proud to have an editorial partnership with Europod to co-publish the podcast series “Long Story Short” hosted by Evi Kiorri. The podcast is available on all major platforms.

You can find the transcript here if you prefer reading:

Denmark’s prime minister Mette Frederiksen and Jens-Frederik Nielsen, the prime minister of Greenland apologised officially this Wednesday for the roles of their countries in the historic mistreatment of Greenlandic Indigenous girls and women, including forced contraception under the so-called “Spiral Case.” But can an apology alone deliver justice?

From the 1960s until the 1990s, Danish doctors inserted intrauterine devices, or IUDs, into thousands of Greenlandic women and girls, often without their consent. Some were as young as twelve. Many only discovered what had been done to them years later, often because of severe health complications. And for some, the damage was permanent: infertility, pain and trauma that lasted a lifetime.

The programme was no secret in government circles, records show that between the 1960s and mid-70s, roughly 4,500 women and girls, almost half of Greenland’s fertile female population, were subjected to the procedure. The official explanation provided by the government was to control Greenland’s birth rate at a time when its Indigenous Inuit population was growing rapidly.

Denmark colonised Greenland over three centuries ago, and the island, though semi-autonomous since 1979, remains part of the Danish realm. For many Greenlanders, this campaign is more than just a medical scandal; it’s a reminder of colonial domination and systematic discrimination.

So yesterday, Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen admitted: “We cannot change what has happened. But we can take responsibility. Therefore, on behalf of Denmark, I would like to say sorry.” All this while an independent investigation into the case, launched in 2022, is expected to conclude soon.

Greenland’s own government also issued an apology for cases that happened after 1991, when the territory took over its health system. But Greenland’s leader was quick to add that apologies are not enough, calling for reparations and compensation for the women affected. Over 140 of them have already launched lawsuits against the Danish state.

Now, this case highlights how recent and far-reaching the impacts of colonial policies remain in Europe. The women affected are still alive today, and many continue to suffer physical and psychological consequences.

It also raises questions about trust in medical institutions, consent in healthcare, and the responsibility of European states towards their overseas territories and Indigenous populations.

So, what’s next?

The investigation Denmark launched in 2022 is due to publish its findings soon, as I mentioned. And that report will be crucial in deciding whether the government accepts responsibility beyond words with reparations, or at the very least financial compensation for the women affected.

Meanwhile, the lawsuit filed by over 140 Inuit women is ongoing, demanding around €40,000 each. If successful, it could set a precedent for how Europe addresses the darker parts of its colonial past.
And maybe that’s the bigger story here. Colonialism is not as distant as many Europeans would like to think. Its scars are fresh, its victims are alive, and the demand for justice is not going away with carefully crafted statements from politicians.