In an emotional address in Nuuk, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen publicly apologized for the decades-long program of forced sterilizations inflicted on Inuit girls and women in Greenland. “Dear women, dear families, dear Greenlanders, today there is only one right thing to say: I am sorry,” Frederiksen declared on Wednesday. “I know an apology cannot erase the pain you experienced, but I hope it brings some comfort that we now acknowledge it was wrong and take responsibility.” The apology addressed survivors of a program that, from the 1960s until 1991, saw thousands of Inuit girls and women – some as young as 12 – fitted with intrauterine devices (IUDs) without their knowledge or consent. A commission of inquiry confirmed that 4,007 women and girls were subjected to the procedures, often during school checkups or hospital visits. Nearly half of Greenland’s female population of reproductive age was affected, with many suffering infertility and lasting health complications. Historians and activists have described the initiative as a racially motivated attempt by Denmark to limit Inuit population growth. Greenland was a Danish colony until 1953 and gained home rule only in 1979. Survivors such as psychologist Naja Lyberth, sterilized at age 14, welcomed the apology but criticized Frederiksen for not calling the program a human rights violation. The prime minister also avoided mention of the planned “Reconciliation Fund,” intended to compensate victims and others subjected to discrimination. The apology comes amid renewed tensions in Greenland–Denmark relations. Recent controversies, including the forced removal of a newborn from her mother, have reignited accusations of racism and state overreach. At the same time, Greenland’s strategic Arctic location has drawn international interest, making Copenhagen eager to reinforce ties with its semi-autonomous territory. For many, Frederiksen’s words represent an important acknowledgment of past abuses. But for survivors, true justice will require more than an apology. As Lyberth put it: “It is good that she said sorry. But what happened to us was more than a mistake. It was a crime against our people.”
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