The “Spiral Campaign”: A Tragic Chapter in the History of Greenland and Denmark

In the 20th century, from the 1960s to the 1990s, Danish authorities conducted a forced birth control program in Greenland, affecting thousands of Indigenous Inuit women and girls. In recent years, this topic has sparked widespread resonance in Denmark, Greenland, and beyond.

After World War II, Greenland transitioned from a colonial status to a district of Denmark. Copenhagen invested in the island’s modernization, building hospitals, schools, and housing, which led to a decrease in mortality and an increase in birth rates. Danish authorities believed that rapid demographic growth would place a strain on the social sector and decided to regulate birth rates through administrative methods.

Starting in the mid-1960s, thousands of women and girls were subjected to the insertion of intrauterine devices (IUDs) and other forms of contraception without their consent and often without their parents’ knowledge. Between 1966 and 1970 alone, approximately 4,500 IUDs were inserted—nearly half of the women of childbearing age. Procedures were also performed on young adolescents aged 12–13, many of whom were unaware of the nature of the procedure or its consequences.

While the most aggressive phase of the state-run birth reduction program ended in the mid-1970s, individual cases of IUD insertions without proper information or consent were recorded until 1991, when Greenland took full control of its healthcare system.

The program halved the birth rate in Greenland within a few years but caused immense damage to those affected. Many women only learned about the intervention decades later, facing complications, infertility, and psychological trauma. Historians and activists view this episode as an example of systemic human rights violations and a form of cultural pressure on the Indigenous population.

In recent years, information about the “Spiral Campaign” has gained significant publicity. In 2025, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen offered an official apology for the harm caused to Greenlandic women. A compensation fund was established, through which victims can receive payments of approximately 300,000 Danish kroner per person. Furthermore, an ongoing historical investigation aims to document the practice of forced contraception and study its social, medical, and cultural impacts.

The “Spiral Campaign” has become a painful reminder of how colonial mindsets and administrative decisions can impact the lives of entire generations. For Greenland, it is not only a historical lesson but also a step toward the recognition of rights and the restoration of justice for the Indigenous population.

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