Greenlandic woman wins case against Danish authorities who removed her two-hour-old child

Key Points:

• The Danish high court ruled that the removal of Greenlandic woman Keira Alexandra Kronvold’s newborn daughter, Zammi, based on outdated parental competence tests, was illegal and violated Kronvold’s rights under the 1989 ILO Indigenous peoples convention.
• Kronvold’s daughter was taken from her two hours after birth in November 2024 following controversial psychometric tests that have been criticized as culturally inappropriate for Greenlandic people, prompting Denmark to ban the tests last May.
• The ruling marks the first time the Danish high court addressed these cases and is expected to influence many similar cases dating back to 1996, potentially allowing other Greenlandic parents and adults removed from their families to seek nullification, apologies, or compensation.
• The United Nations has expressed concern that the removal of Greenlandic children without consent may constitute ethnic discrimination, adding international pressure on Denmark to reform its care and forced adoption systems affecting Greenlandic minorities.
• Despite the victory, Kronvold has yet to be reunited with her daughter and plans to appeal a lower court decision; she remains committed to advocating for legal changes to protect Greenlandic parents and children in Denmark.