Greenland has requested a truth and reconciliation commission following two expert reports on forced contraception that reached different conclusions on whether Denmark committed genocide between the 1960s and 1990s. The issue has strained relations between Nuuk and Copenhagen for four years.
The controversy began in May 2022, when a podcast revealed that Danish health staff had fitted Inuit women and girls with IUDs starting in the 1960s. At least 4,070 Greenlandic women were affected, some as young as 12 or 13. Many said they did not give consent. Some suffered infections and became sterile, while others discovered the devices years later during medical exams.
In June 2022, both governments ordered an inquiry. Of the 354 women who testified, only 11 percent said they gave explicit consent. Greenland’s government asked four experts to analyze whether genocide had occurred, but the group split into two factions, producing two separate reports with different conclusions.
The first report, signed by a lawyer and a psychologist, acknowledged the “abuse” suffered by Greenlandic women but firmly rejected the idea of a Danish campaign to limit population growth. “There is not the slightest factual evidence” of genocide, the authors stated.
The second report, prepared by indigenous rights experts, refused to make a final ruling, saying a decision on genocide is complex and only a court with the right authority can decide. This proposal was backed by opposition parties in Nuuk, who want Denmark brought before an international court.
Greenland’s government has now proposed a reconciliation commission. The Prime Minister said the goal is not to “assign responsibilities” but to “shed light on the truth.” Denmark’s Prime Minister expressed support, saying they must revisit dark pages of shared history and acknowledge the suffering caused.
In September 2025, she apologized to Greenlandic women on behalf of Denmark. The Danish Parliament has since granted compensation of 300,000 kroner (about 40,000 euros) to affected women.
Reference
Le Monde, “Contraception forcée: le Groenland demande la mise en place d’une commission de vérité et de réconciliation,” published August 30, 2026. https://www.lemonde.fr/international/article/2026/08/30/sterilisation-forcee-le-groenland-demande-la-mise-en-place-d-une-commission-de-verite-et-de-reconciliation_6761117_3210.html