**Forced Birth Control in Greenland Violated Women’s Rights, Experts Find**
Greenland is taking significant steps towards addressing a troubling chapter in its history, as it establishes a truth and reconciliation commission to investigate a decades-long forced contraceptive scheme targeting Indigenous girls and women. This initiative follows two expert reports that examined the controversial practices, which were carried out from the 1960s to the 1990s.
According to a joint inquiry conducted by Danish and Greenlandic authorities, at least 4,000 Greenlandic Inuit women, some as young as 12, received intrauterine devices (IUDs) or contraceptive injections without their consent. The inquiry highlighted that these actions were part of a broader effort by Danish authorities to reduce birth rates and family sizes in Greenland, which they believed would improve living standards and health conditions on the Arctic island.
Greenland's Justice Minister, Marianne Paviasen, reported that the two expert reports reached differing conclusions regarding whether the actions constituted genocide. While one report dismissed the notion of genocide, the other indicated that the extent of the violations could not be definitively established. "We cannot say, on behalf of the government, whether there was genocide. This is something we can continue to debate," Paviasen stated.
Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen emphasized that the reconciliation commission would focus on uncovering the truth rather than assigning blame. He stated, "This is about genuine reconciliation." Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen also expressed a commitment to collaborating with Greenland’s government on the political process surrounding the issue.
However, the Siumut Party, a prominent political party in Greenland, has called for the genocide question to be addressed by an independent international court. They expressed concern over the implications of the forced contraceptive campaign, stating, "Today we could have been far more Greenlanders."
Victims of the scheme have voiced their frustrations regarding the investigation process. Henriette Berthelsen, a victim, articulated her concerns about the lack of Greenlandic Inuit representation among the experts involved in the inquiry. "For me, this is not just about history or politics. It’s my body, my life, and my right to self-determination," she remarked, highlighting the personal impact of the forced contraceptive measures.
Inger Platou, another victim, recounted her traumatic experience of waking up from what she believed was a minor operation, only to discover that an IUD had been inserted without her consent. "It turns out we were treated like animals," she stated, reflecting on the inhumane nature of the actions taken against women like her. Platou also revealed that complications from the device left her unable to conceive.
In a significant acknowledgment of the past, Denmark issued an apology for the forced contraceptive scheme last year, with Prime Minister Frederiksen describing the actions as "systematic discrimination" against Greenlanders. In a recent development, the Danish parliament has agreed to allow women affected by the campaign to claim compensation of up to 300,000 Danish crowns (approximately $46,758) each.
As Greenland moves forward with the establishment of the truth and reconciliation commission, the focus will be on addressing the historical injustices faced by Indigenous women and fostering a path towards healing and understanding. The commission aims to provide a platform for victims to share their stories and seek recognition for the violations they endured, while also striving to prevent such abuses from occurring in the future.