Denmark Faces UN Scrutiny Over Greenlandic Mothers' Treatment

The United Nations has formally questioned Denmark regarding its treatment of Greenlandic mothers, specifically citing concerns over potential ethnic discrimination in child custody cases. This inquiry follows the removal of Keira Alexandra Kronvold's newborn daughter, Zammi, by Danish authorities in November 2024, based on now-banned FKU psychometric tests.

The UN's intervention, conveyed in a letter sent late last month by multiple special rapporteurs, raises pressure on Copenhagen to address systemic issues affecting Indigenous women.

The FKU (parental competence) tests, which were scrapped by the Danish government in May 2023 due to criticisms of cultural inappropriateness for Greenlandic individuals and other minorities, were previously used to assess parental suitability. Despite the ban, Kronvold remains separated from her daughter, who is now nearly 18 months old and in foster care.

Kronvold is scheduled to appear before the Danish high court on Friday in an attempt to regain custody, a case that is seen as significant for other Inuit women in similar situations.

UN Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls, Reem Alsalem, along with other rapporteurs, expressed concerns about the “disproportionate impact of FKU assessment on Greenlandic parents,” suggesting it “may amount to ethnic discrimination.” The UN officials emphasized the need for access to justice and remedies for those affected by decisions made using the FKU assessments. Denmark, which governed Greenland as a colony until 1953, faces scrutiny over ongoing discrimination claims despite Greenland's current autonomous status.