Dozens of women in Greenland have heard Denmark's prime minister, Mette Frederiksen, formally apologise for a scandal that involved thousands of Inuit women being forcibly given contraceptive coils, as part of a controversial birth control programme during the 1960s and 70s.

Dear women. Dear families. Dear Greenland. Today there is only one right thing to say to you. Sorry, Frederiksen told a packed venue in the centre of the capital Nuuk.

During an emotionally charged event, one women stood with her back to the prime minster in protest, a black handprint painted across her mouth.

Sorry for the injustice that was committed against you, Frederiksen said. Because you were Greenlanders. Sorry for what was taken from you. And for the pain it caused, she continued. On behalf of Denmark. Sorry.

Naja Lyberth, who was one of the first Inuit Greenlanders to speak out about what happened, received a standing ovation as she addressed the event. If we are to move forward, the apology is crucial, she said.

An official inquiry concluded that at least 4,000 women had coils implanted by 1970 without their knowledge or consent. The women's reactions ranged from catharsis to skepticism about the lack of mention of compensation, despite plans for a reconciliation fund.

Frederiksen's apology comes amid heightened scrutiny of Denmark's historical treatment of Greenland, with reactions to forced adoptions and systemic discrimination also in the spotlight. For many women, this apology marks a significant step towards acknowledgment and healing from a painful chapter in history.