Greenlandic woman wins appeal over forced removal of newborn child

A Greenlandic woman has won a landmark legal case against Denmark’s child welfare authorities after a court ruled that the forced removal of her newborn daughter in 2024 was unlawful.

The Western High Court in Copenhagen sided with Keira Alexandra Kronvold in a ruling handed down on Friday, her lawyer, Gert Dyrn, confirmed to Danish broadcaster DR. The decision centres on the legality of the immediate removal of Kronvold’s child shortly after birth.

“This means the removal right after the birth was not lawful,” Dyrn said.

The case has drawn attention due to its reliance on a now-discontinued parental competency assessment (FKU), a psychological evaluation previously used in child removal cases involving Greenlandic families. In 2025, the Danish government abolished the practice, instead requiring municipalities to consult a specialised advisory unit in cases concerning Greenlandic children.

The court found that the assessments used to justify the 2024 removal were outdated. Additionally, the ruling stated that no evaluations had met the standards set by conventions governing the specific cultural and social considerations for Greenlandic families.

While the decision addresses the initial removal at birth, it does not affect the child’s current placement.

The case has sparked public protests, with demonstrations held in both Nuuk and Copenhagen over the removal of the newborn.