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Greenland will release two highly anticipated reports on Friday, August 28, which look into human rights abuses connected to past instances where Greenlandic women and girls were given intrauterine devices (IUDs) and other contraceptive methods. The reports will also assess if Denmark’s actions could be classified as genocide under legal standards.

An intrauterine device (IUD) is a method of birth control that is inserted into the uterus to avoid pregnancy. Over 4,000 women and girls in Greenland received IUDs during a Danish-run family planning initiative that started in the 1960s, with numerous individuals later stating they were not adequately informed or did not give their consent.

The results will be released just one day after the Danish parliament is scheduled to finalize compensation laws for affected women, prompting questions about how the reports’ evaluation of accountability will align with Denmark’s current approach.

Denmark managed Greenland’s healthcare system up until 1992. In 2024, the Greenlandic autonomous government requested independent specialists to examine if the Danish state carried out a genocide and breached international law.

“As a society, we need to have all the information available, yet we must also seek methods to progress collectively. Hence, the investigation will also examine how the trauma from the Contraception Case has influenced society across generations,” the Greenlandic government stated in a statement.statement in 2024.

The findings are expected to be released on Friday.

The latest inquiry is distinct from an earlier collaborative Danish-Greenlandic historical reportpublished in September 2025, which was then followed by a public apologyfrom Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen. Although the previous inquiry detailed the events and the implementation of the contraceptive program, the latest reports analyze how these actions should be interpreted in light of human rights and international law.

What the documents will include

Legal professionals state that the reports released on Friday will not, by themselves, create legally enforceable obligations.

“No binding legal consequences will arise from the reports. Nevertheless, depending on the findings, they could result in political measures,” said Sune Klinge, an associate professor who focuses on constitutional law at the University of Copenhagen, to Euronews Health.

Some specialists believe the situation is improbable to satisfy the legal criteria for genocide.

“The [United Nations] Genocide ConventionCombined with judicial practice, this will serve as the legal foundation for establishing responsibility for genocide. Genocide stems from the perpetrator’s specific intent to carry out these acts because they do not acknowledge the group’s right to exist as a group,” said Frederik Harhoff, an international law expert at the University of Southern Denmark and former judge at the United Nations International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, to Euronews Health.

“Therefore, it is improbable that the report will determine that genocide occurred, and if either of the two reports states this, they would be incorrect,” Harhoff added.

He further stated that although a public report might suggest certain things, determining criminal responsibility for genocide can only be done by a qualified court.

The reports might also highlight additional breaches of international human rights or the rights of indigenous populations, which could continue to influence the political and legal reaction to the situation.

Their importance might therefore be partially determined by the actions taken by governments, affected women, and courts following the results.

“Since genocide cannot be proven due to the absence of the necessary specific intent, the violation of women’s human rights becomes crucial,” Harhoff added.

What is the reason for having two reports?

Greenland initially established a four-member panel of specialists to conduct the human rights inquiry.

However, the group eventually divided into two due to what the government has referred to as “differences in the work methodologyresulting in Greenland ultimately receiving two reports instead of one.

The government of Greenland stated that both reports were later subjected to an external evaluation of their methods and academic quality.

It has not revealed if the conflict involved the experts’ findings or who wrote each of the two reports.

Experts recommended that the reports be released at an earlier date.

The release date has already drawn backlash as Denmark is proceeding with its compensation law prior to the publication of the evaluations.

The reports had already been finalized and submitted to Greenland’s government in February, but their release was postponed during the translation, peer-review process, and preparation for public distribution.

The Danish legislature is scheduled to cast the final vote on the compensation bill on Thursday, one day prior to the Greenlandic government releasing the reports.

Under the new plan, women who were given birth control without their permission while Denmark was in charge of Greenland’s medical services would be eligible for DKK 300,000 (€40,000).

This month, one of the specialists involved in examining the case, Jonas Christoffersen, called on Greenland’s government to release the reports prior to the Danish parliament finalizing its compensation law, stating that legislators should review the results before enacting the legislation.

“It is deeply questionable in a democracy that the [Danish parliament] would enact a law without being aware of the reports written by independent individuals. The Greenland Government should therefore immediately release the reports, just as the [Danish parliament] should be informed about them, so that the entire issue can be discussed on a thoroughly informed foundation,” Christoffersen wrote in astatement.

“The incident has affected the relationship between Denmark and Greenland, and in my view, it would be best for all parties if there is complete openness regarding this issue,” he added.

Harhoff also views the parliament’s choice to move forward with the bill before receiving the reports as a “mistake.”

Nevertheless, he mentioned that the compensation program would not stop Greenlandic women from taking additional legal steps if the reports reveal more extensive human rights issues or accountability from Denmark.

Klinge also mentioned that Danish politicians are “always free to modify laws and broaden the program,” while pointing out that DKK 300,000 is already near the maximum compensation given in similar cases.

This month, Denmark’s health minister Ida Auken stated that the government was unwilling to delay action on a compensation plan for Greenlandic women impacted by the contraceptive scandal until the reports were finalized.

” For us, it has been extremely important that we do not postpone anything. The women have waited long enough,” Auken said to the local news agency, Ritzau.