Denmark has taken a significant step toward compensating Greenlandic women who were subjected to coerced intrauterine device (IUD) implantations during a decades-long contraceptive campaign that began in the 1960s. On Thursday, Danish lawmakers approved a bill offering eligible women a one-time payment of 300,000 Danish kroner (approximately $47,000) as redress for the suffering caused.

The practice, commonly referred to as the Spiral Case, involved Greenlandic women and girls—some as young as 12—being fitted with IUDs, often without their informed consent or knowledge. This policy was part of an official Danish effort to curb Greenland’s population growth. Many recipients only learned about the devices years later, after experiencing serious health complications, including infertility.

According to a government-commissioned report published last year, more than 4,000 Greenlandic women were affected. The campaign, which continued into the 1990s, left lasting physical and psychological scars on many. Some women report lifelong infertility and dangerous medical conditions, such as ectopic pregnancies. Medical experts have suggested that the demographic impact on Greenland—home to about 57,000 people—was significant.

The decision to compensate comes amid ongoing political sensitivities surrounding Greenland’s status as a semi-autonomous territory of Denmark. The Arctic island, nearly three times the size of Texas, has been the subject of international attention, including reported U.S. interest in acquisition that Denmark has firmly resisted. Strengthening ties with Greenlanders appears to be part of Denmark’s broader strategy to maintain the territorial relationship.

Naaja Nathanielsen, one of two Greenlandic members of the Danish Parliament, called the compensation measure “something positive against a very sad background.” Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen issued an official apology for the campaign, expressing regret on behalf of Denmark. A forthcoming report commissioned by the government is expected to analyze the legal implications of the practice and explore whether it constitutes genocide.

Applicants for the compensation program must submit detailed accounts of their experiences, though medical records are not mandatory. Trine Berner Madsen, an official involved in administering the compensation, acknowledged the difficulty for women in recounting their histories but emphasized the need for personal testimony to process claims.

For many survivors, the announcement has provided a measure of relief. Aana Uulat Bach, a 64-year-old retired teacher from Nuuk, Greenland’s capital, described the compensation as a step forward despite the enduring physical and emotional trauma. She said she was fitted with an IUD around age 13 and later experienced blocked fallopian tubes and life-threatening ectopic pregnancies. Despite these challenges, she is a mother to one son, whom she called a “miracle.”

While the financial compensation cannot undo past harms, it marks the first formal recognition by Denmark of the deep injustices suffered by Greenlandic women during this controversial chapter of its colonial administration.