When Danish officials and doctors began inserting intrauterine devices into Greenlandic girls and women in the early 1960s, it was not for medical reasons or at the individual request of those affected. The reasons were pragmatic, technocratic, and political: Denmark wanted to slow down population growth in Greenland.
Although the Danish government took the historic step of issuing an official apology and paying compensation, the case cannot yet be considered completely closed. In April 2026, the processing of individual cases should begin, but this comes at a time when Greenland is the epicenter of geopolitical tension and Denmark is trying to settle relations with it, as the White House is eager to take control of the island.
Greenland underwent a period of profound change in the 1960s. The island was formally a colony until 1953, when it became an equal part of the Kingdom of Denmark and underwent rapid modernization. Copenhagen pursued the goal of adapting Greenland economically and socially to the Danish welfare state. This modernization policy included housing construction programs, education reforms, reorganization of healthcare, and centralization of administration. At the same time, Danish authorities watched demographic developments with growing concern.
The birth rate in Greenland was significantly higher than in mainland Denmark. It was particularly high among very young women. Internal reports described this development as a structural problem. The argument was clear: the rapidly growing population would require an expansion of social benefits, healthcare, and infrastructure to an extent that would be financially unmanageable from the perspective of those responsible. Instead of addressing this dynamic politically or structurally, the authorities opted for direct fertility control.
Population policy instead of medicine
From the early 1960s, intrauterine devices were used as an instrument of state population policy. This was an organized, systematic measure approved by the central authorities. In many cases, IUDs were inserted in minors, often without sufficient explanation, sometimes without any consent. The medical standards that applied at the time were not adhered to in many cases. The affected women often only found out years later what had happened to their bodies.
This practice continued in the following decades. According to current knowledge, IUDs were inserted in several thousand Greenlandic women and girls between 1960 and 1991. A historical investigation later ordered by Denmark confirmed that these were not isolated cases of incorrect medical decisions, but a practice tolerated by the state and, in some cases, actively supported. The goal was always the same: to limit the number of children born in Greenland.
This issue was not discussed publicly for a long time. Shame, uncertainty, and a lack of information prevailed in Greenland. Many of the women affected did not even know that they had been given contraception. Others suffered from pain, infections, or infertility without knowing the cause. In Denmark, this chapter was considered closed or received minimal attention. Everything changed in 2022.
At that time, Danish radio published extensive research that revealed the extent of these measures. For the first time, it was proven that up to half of Greenlandic women of childbearing age could have been affected. The reports sparked widespread public debate and put pressure on the Danish government to act. Shortly thereafter, an extensive independent historical investigation was launched.
Apology and compensation
The final report of the investigation, published in 2024, confirmed the allegations in all essential points. It found that the state authorities were aware of the interventions, that they were politically motivated, and that they served the purpose of demographic control. Medical reasons played a minor role. The responsibility lay not with individual doctors, but with the system that allowed this practice to take place.
In September 2025, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen issued an official apology in Nuuk.
She asked the victims for forgiveness and spoke of a grave injustice. The apology was a political turning point, but initially had no legal consequences. These followed at the end of 2025, when the Danish parliament approved compensation measures.
The year 2026 is the year of implementation. From April, those affected can submit applications, and the first compensation payments should be made during the course of the year. These are designed as one-off payments. At the same time, individual court proceedings are continuing in which claims for compensation for health problems are being asserted.
Greenland as a political space
The problem is that this issue is not taking place in a vacuum. Greenland today has growing political, economic, and security significance. In recent years, the United States has repeatedly emphasized that the island is key to its strategic interests in the Arctic. It has maintained a military presence on the island for decades and has recently described its involvement as necessary from a security policy perspective.
Denmark has repeatedly ruled out handing over or selling the island. It has stated that Greenland remains part of the kingdom and that its status is determined exclusively within the existing legal system.
People on the island itself are closely monitoring the compensation system. The contraceptive scandal is not viewed in isolation, but in connection with other measures taken during the period of Danish rule. It is considered particularly serious because it directly interfered with physical integrity. Compensation is largely seen as a necessary but, for now, incomplete step.
In Denmark, the debate is more factual, but all the more politicized. The government emphasizes that compensation is the closing of a historical chapter. Critics, however, argue that this step comes too late. What is indisputable, however, is that the core of the scandal is not medical malpractice, but political decisions on birth control, sometimes without the knowledge or consent of the women concerned.
The original text was published on the website of the Austrian sister newspaper Statement.at.