Victims of forced contraception in Greenland between 1960 and 1991 will be eligible for compensation to the sum of €40,000, the Danish government announced on Wednesday.
In late September, Danish Prime Minister, Mette Frederiksen, issued an official apology in Nuuk, Greenland’s capital, for the campaign orchestrated by Copenhagen to lower the birth rate on the Arctic island, which is an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark.
This controversial programme affected at least 4,500 teenage girls and women, some of whom were left sterile.
Health Minister Sophie Løhde said the programme had severe physical and psychological consequences for Greenlandic women and still impacts the way Greenland perceives Denmark.
Løhde acknowledged that the pain inflicted cannot be erased, but affirmed that compensation would recognise the harm caused and serve as an apology for the experiences endured.
Last month, Prime Minister Frederiksen revealed a plan to establish a “reconciliation fund” to compensate victims of forced contraception and other Greenlanders subjected to discrimination due to their origins, although no specific amounts were disclosed at the time.
Victims seeking compensation will need to provide a credible account of their experience and officially attest that they underwent contraception without their knowledge or consent, according to the government’s statement.
The compensation scheme is expected to be implemented from 1 June 2026.
