An 18-year-old Greenlandic handball player has sparked international protests after Danish authorities removed her newborn daughter just one hour after birth, despite recent legislation banning controversial "parenting competence" tests for people with Greenlandic backgrounds.
Ivana Nikoline Brønlund, born in Nuuk to Greenlandic parents, gave birth to daughter Aviaja-Luuna on August 11 at a hospital near Copenhagen. Local municipality Høje-Taastrup immediately placed the infant in foster care, citing Brønlund's childhood trauma from sexual abuse by her adoptive father—now imprisoned—as justification.
The decision directly contradicts Denmark's May 2025 law prohibiting standardized FKU (forældrekompetenceundersøgelse) assessments for Greenlandic families, which human rights advocates have long criticized as culturally biased against Inuit backgrounds. Shockingly, officials told Brønlund she was "not Greenlandic enough" for the legal protection to apply.
Danish Social Affairs Minister Sophie Hæstorp Andersen has demanded explanations from the municipality, stating "standardized tests should not be used in placement cases involving families with Greenlandic background. The law is clear." Meanwhile, Brønlund remains limited to supervised two-hour visits fortnightly while awaiting a September 16 appeal hearing.
Protests have erupted across Nuuk, Copenhagen, Reykjavík and Belfast, with organizers comparing the case to another Greenlandic mother, Keira Alexandra Kronvold, whose daughter was similarly removed hours after birth. The municipality admitted procedural faults but maintains it seeks "the best possible solution" for the family.
