Women in Greenland demand compensation for forced birth control

 Women in Greenland demand compensation for forced birth control

67 Greenlandic women are suing the Danish government for damages related to an unconscionable birth control campaign.

In order to reduce the birth rate of the indigenous population, at least 4,500 women, including some teenagers, were equipped with coils.

The results of the investigation won't be known until 2025, but the women—some of whom are in their 70s—want money immediately.

Greenland was a Danish colony until 1953; it is currently a semi-autonomous province of Denmark.

The scope of the campaign was made public in a podcast released by the Danish broadcaster DR last year.

Records from the national archives revealed that 4,500 intrauterine devices (IUDs) were implanted into women between 1966 and 1970 alone, some of whom were as young as 13 years old, without their knowledge or consent.

According to DR, the Greenlandic government calculates that by the end of 1969, 35% of the territory's women who might have given birth had received an IUD.

The BBC has uncovered that the practice continued for many years after 1975, even though it is known to have persisted till then.

When a woman had trouble becoming pregnant in 2009, she found out she had been equipped with a coil. Another woman told the BBC that she had received a contraceptive injection without her will in 2014.

The results of a commission established by the governments of Denmark and Greenland to look into the program won't be released until May 2025.

The psychologist who filed the compensation claim, Naja Lyberth, stated that she didn't want to wait for the investigation's findings.

"Our age is increasing. The oldest of us were born in the 1940s and are now getting close to 80. We had IUDs implanted in the 1960s. We need to move quickly.

According to Ms. Lyberth, in some instances the fitted devices were too large for the girls' bodies, leading to major health issues or even infertility, while in other instances the women were not aware of the implants until they were recently discovered by gynecologists.

She charged that the Danish administration at the time wanted to limit Greenland's population in order to reduce spending on welfare.

"The government has broken the law by violating our human rights and causing us serious harm, that much is already 100% clear," she said.

Doctors installed a contraceptive coil without getting my permission.

Visit this page to learn more about Greenland's Lost Generation.

The women are asking for 300,000 kroner ($42,150) each (£34,880).

The women's attorney, Mads Pramming, addressed a claim on their behalf to Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen's office on Monday.

According to Ms. Lyberth, the group would go to court if the government rejected the request while awaiting the commission's findings.

Six Inuit who were kidnapped from their families in the 1950s as part of an effort to create a Danish-speaking elite in Greenland received an apology and compensation from Denmark last year.

Only 57,000 people live in Greenland, which is both the world's largest island and its most northern region.

The territory took over control of its healthcare system in 1991 and has its own flag, language, and prime minister. Denmark continues to oversee its government, legal system, and foreign and security affairs.

The health minister for Greenland admitted to the BBC last year that she was unaware that women were still receiving contraception without their agreement, in violation of the law and medical ethics.