Greenlandic women sue Danish state for contraceptive ‘violation’

Nearly 150 Greenlandic women have sued the Danish state, alleging that they were fitted with the contraceptive coil without their consent or knowledge. A group of 143 women took legal action on Monday, demanding a collective payment of close to 43m Danish kroner  for what they describe as a violation of their human rights. 

 Some of the women were as young as 12 when they say they were fitted with an intrauterine device (IUD) by Danish doctors in an attempt to reduce Greenland’s population.

 It is believed that 4,500 women and girls were affected between 1966 and 1970. Last October, 67 women came forward to demand that the state compensate them, or face legal action, but the government did not act. Since then, the number of women – each seeking 300,000 Danish kroner – has more than doubled. Read more