Ciné-ONU “Women Don’t Cycle”: from Brussels to Tokyo women take the lead through cycling

To mark International Women’s Day, on 8 March, the United Nations (UN Women, UNRIC, UNFPA, OHCHR and UNESCO), the European Commission and Cinematek organized a screening of the film Women Don’t Cycle by Belgian filmmaker Manon Brulard. The event took place at Cinematek in Brussels, drawing a captivated audience interested in cycling and women’s participation in the sport.

Women do cycle

In 2019, Manon Brulard and her partner Dries embarked on an eleven-month cycling trip from Brussels to Tokyo. Manon documented the entire experience with her camera. The film captures their journey, covering a distance of 13,500 kilometers across 21 countries, and the stories of the women cyclists they encountered along the way. It is a story of resilience and women’s empowerment and it aligns with this year’s International Women’s Day theme, “Invest in women, accelerate progress.”

Ahead of the screening, UNRIC interviewed one of the panellists, Philip Amaral, Director of Policy and Development at the European Cyclists’ Federation (ECF), and discussed the gender gap in cycling and how to bridge it. “Cycling tends to be perceived as a predominantly male activity, especially in sports,” noted Philip, “though women’s participation in sports cycling has seen progress in recent years.”

However, the film Women Don’t Cycle challenges this perception through the experiences it portrays. “Along my way, I discovered that all the women I interviewed were, in fact, community leaders. The bicycle was just another way to gather women, create movement and social change,” said Manon.

An engaging panel discussion

Camilla Brückner, Director of the United Nations Office in Brussels, opened the film screening with an inspiring speech about cycling and women’s empowerment. After the screening, Caroline Petit, Deputy Director of UNRIC, moderated a panel discussion featuring film director Manon Brulard; Florence Raes, Director of the UN Women Office in Brussels; Philip Amaral, Director of Policy and Development at the European Cyclists’ Federation (ECF); and Katja Lenzing, Deputy Head of Unit at DG Justice and Consumers, European Commission.

The panelists shared their thoughts about the film and engaged in a lively dialogue on gender-inclusive cycling policies, safety for female cyclists, and the practicalities of long-distance biking. The discussion highlighted a shared commitment to women’s empowerment through cycling and the need for more gender equality in all aspects of cycling. Many audience members expressed interest in undertaking similar biking adventures, inspired by Manon and her partner’s journey.

Other links:

Addressing the gender gap in cycling

Cycling for the Global Goals