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Official webpage of the Expert Group appointed by Naalakkersuisut to examine the human rights aspects of alleged instances of involuntary contraception in Greenland since 1960.

 

The Inquiry was announced on 9 August 2024 and commenced work in November 2024. The expert group is expected to submit its final report on 31 January 2026.

This website was created so that the public can access basic information about the Inquiry.

Terms of reference:

 

In relation to the alleged instances of forced, coerced or deceptive practices of

contraception in Greenland since 1960, the experts will determine whether and

what human rights and international law applied and whether and to what extent those laws might have been violated. To this end Naalakkersuisut directs the experts to:

  1. determine whether distinct and which human rights might have been violated, including individual and collective rights, in relation to the alleged instances of forced, coerced or deceptive practices of contraception in Greenland since 1960. In undertaking this work, the experts shall take into account cultural, psychological, political, and societal factors as part of its assessment.
  1. investigate whether specific rights applicable to Indigenous women, including rights to their own bodies, reproduction and contraception, in general, might have been violated.
  1. investigate whether the alleged instances of forced, coerced or deceptive practices of contraception in Greenland after 1992 evidence that there was an intentional, systematic approach taken to this practice during this time period (with reference to the National Board of Health’s investigation and report).
  1. assess whether the alleged events of forced, coerced, deceptive or nonconsensual practices of contraception in Greenland might fulfil the definition of ‘genocide’ under international law, including with reference to the Genocide Convention 1948 Article 2 subparagraph (d) ”The imposition of measures to prevent the birth of children within the group”.
  1. investigate the possible continued impacts among the affected women and broader society, which will include a temporal dimension and a contemporary focus on the case, and thereby not limited by historical or past narratives or context.
  1. clarify and assess whether and to what extent vulnerable women and girls were also subject to forced, coerced, deceptive or non-consensual practices of contraception since 1960, for example by obtaining testimonies from the social sector.
  1. adopt a trauma-informed and inter-generational perspective in undertaking its work, including cultural and Psychological Dimensions, Holistic Approach and Inter-generational Impacts.

HRCC Expert Group Members

Dalee Sambo Dorough, Ph.D. (Alaska): Indigenous human rights expert, political scientist, advocate. From 2018-2022 she served as International Chair of the Inuit Circumpolar Council, representing the 180,000 Inuit, Yupik and Chukchi people in the Russian Far East, Alaska, Canada and Greenland. She is a former expert member of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues and presently a member of the UN Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. She is Chair of the HRCC Expert Group.

Miriam Cullen Ph.D (New Zealand): Lawyer and Associate Professor of Law at the University of Copenhagen. She has more than 20 years of experience in research, writing and practice in international human rights law and international criminal law. She is Vice Chair of the HRCC Expert group. 

Jonas Christoffersen, dr.jur. (Denmark): Lawyer, former researcher at the University of Copenhagen, deputy judge at the Supreme Court and acting High Court judge. Awarded a doctorate in law in 2008 for a thesis on the European Court of Human Rights and was Executive Director of the Danish Institute for Human Rights until 2020. 

Jensine Nedergaard, Ph.D, MBA (Denmark): Independent consultant and former Chief Psychologist at Qeqertalik Municipal. With a PhD in Cultural Psychology and 15+ years’ experience, she specializes in leadership, performance psychology, cultural dynamics, and collective trauma. Her research on identity and resilience informs international collaborations and her role on the Greenland Crime Prevention Council.

How to contact the HRCC Expert Group:

The Expert Group is supported by our part-time secretariat staff member Misu Benjaminsen. Any inquiries should be directed to info@hrcc.gl

Address:

Issortarfimmut 7, 201

3905 Nuussuaq

Greenland

(HRCC = Human Rights aspects of the Contraception Case)