During the IUD campaign, which ran between 1960 and 1991, at least 4,500 Greenlandic women and girls had IUDs inserted, many against their will. Even young girls were given IUDs without their parents being informed.
The idea of the campaign was to limit the number of Greenlandic children and thus reduce Denmark’s costs for preschools, schools and healthcare. This is stated by the Danish news agency Ritzau, according to TT.
Similar to genocide
“It is a deeply unfortunate case and the women’s stories make a big impression on me. It is important that we get to the bottom of what has happened,” says Danish Minister of the Interior Sophie Løhde in a comment to DR.
In Greenland, the spiral campaign is compared to a genocide. Denmark believes that it is “a mistake with good intentions”. Last year, the two countries agreed to set up an investigation that is expected to be completed in 2025.
Naja Lyberth, who herself had an IUD inserted when she was 14 and is one of those suing the Danish state, says that many of the affected women today are older and do not have time to wait for an investigation.
The women are now demanding compensation of 300,000 Danish kroner for having been forced to insert an IUD.