Greenland’s government published two expert reports on the so-called spiral case and gave no indication that it intends to take the matter to an international court.
The reports were released on Friday by Naalakkersuisut and examine the human rights aspects of the Danish family planning campaign in Greenland. DR reports that thousands of Greenlandic women and girls, some as young as 13, had contraceptive coils fitted, in many cases without consent.
One report was written by political scientist Dalee Sambo Dorough and Miriam Cullen, an associate professor of law at the University of Copenhagen. They find a reasonable basis to assume that the Danish state violated human rights. A final determination on genocide can only be made by a court with jurisdiction and access to all evidence, they write.
The second report, by lawyer Jonas Christoffersen and psychologist Jensine Nedergaard, concludes there is no empirical evidence that the Danish state committed genocide. Together the two reports run to nearly 400 pages.
A conciliatory line
At a press conference, Greenland’s leader Jens-Frederik Nielsen gave no signal that he wants the case tested at the International Court of Justice. He said it is not for Greenland’s government to judge whether the campaign can be called genocide. He proposed cooperating with Denmark on a reconciliation commission.
Nielsen pointed to the apology issued last year by Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen on behalf of the state. He also noted the compensation scheme adopted by the Folketing on Thursday. Under the scheme, women can apply to Patienterstatningen for 300,000 kroner for receiving contraception without consent between 1960 and 1991.
Astrid Nonbo Andersen, a senior researcher at the Danish Institute for International Studies, said the line was consistent with Nielsen’s earlier emphasis on dialogue within the Danish realm. She noted that a different government was in office when Naalakkersuisut decided in August 2024 to commission the review. At that time, court action was signaled if the report indicated genocide, she said.
At least 4,070 women had coils fitted by the end of 1970, roughly every second Greenlandic-born woman of fertile age. A report published in 2025 by Naalakkersuisut documented the scope and decision-making behind the practice. Of the 354 women who gave accounts, most said they did not consent.
The opposition parties Siumut and Naleraq both want the case brought before an international court. Siumut chair Aleqa Hammond wrote in a press release that it is a legal question for a competent and independent international court.
Frederik Harhoff, professor emeritus of international law at the University of Southern Denmark, told DR that the court in The Hague would likely reject such a case. It can only hear cases brought by one state against another, and Greenland and Denmark are parts of the same state, he said. He pointed to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg as a possible alternative.
Uullat Bach from Nuuk, who says she never consented, followed the press conference. She said she is disappointed and had hoped for more clarity from Greenland’s government.
