ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Some girls and women in the Kurdish city of Amuda in northeast Syria's (Rojava) Hasaka province took to the streets on Saturday as part of a cycling initiative aimed at changing public perceptions of women riding bicycles.
The ‘I Want a Bicycle’ initiative was launched five years ago to challenge social stigma surrounding women cycling. According to organizers, the campaign has trained more than 300 women and girls and now has a core group of around 30 active riders.
"It has been more than five years since I started this initiative. I started it on my own," said team captain Midiya Ghanim to Rudaw's Viviyan Fetah. "I wanted, through these marathons, races, and this team that I established, to change the view that women cannot ride bicycles."
The initiative comes as participants seek to challenge traditional attitudes toward women in public spaces through sports. While Amuda is widely known for its vibrant sporting culture and traditional Kurdish Dilan folk dances, organizers say women riding bicycles have long faced social resistance.
Ghanim said she faced harassment when she first began cycling, including negative remarks and what she described as deliberate attempts by drivers of cars and motorcycles to hit her.
"I wanted to change this perspective," she said, adding that she has trained around 300 women and girls over the past five years and organized about 10 races and marathons in Amuda and Qamishli.
The initiative participants include all ages, with younger members saying they hope to encourage greater acceptance of women in sports.
Pela Mohammed, a 14-year-old member, said, "it has been five years since I joined the 'I Want a Bicycle' team," and "I came out here because I want to challenge the view that says women shouldn't ride bicycles. I want to change that view and say that girls and boys are equal."
Participants said they hope the initiative will encourage more girls and women to take part in cycling and help normalize their presence in public spaces across Rojava.
