6 March 2020 – In celebration of National Women’s Month this March, an exhibition entitled “Art Beyond the Spectrum: An Exhibition Featuring the Artwork of a Girl with Autism – Ms. Mina Ellen Felipe-Hanihara,” was opened today, 6 March 2020, at the Philippine Consulate General in Frankfurt.

 The art exhibition featured the artwork of Ms. Mina Ellen Felipe-Hanihara, a Manila-based Filipino woman with autism. The activity intends to change the way the public perceives women with disability by showcasing their talent. It also aims to draw attention to the situation of women with disability, such as autism, who may experience levels of vulnerability and marginalization due to prevailing socio-cultural norms, structure of service delivery and discrimination on the basis of disability and gender.

“The Philippine Consulate joins the international community in celebrating women empowerment. It is both the duty of the government and its citizens to take steps to end discrimination against women, especially women with disability. They belong to the vulnerable sector of our society, thus we must ensure that they get the protection that they need,” Consul General Evelyn D. Austria-Garcia said in her remarks. She further encouraged the Filipino-German community to join the call to advance women’s rights and gender equality, break gender stereotypes, and stop gender-based violence and discrimination against women.

The opening was attended by the members of the Filipino-German community in Frankfurt and nearby states, many of whom were impressed with the artistic skills of Ms. Hanihara, a Manila-based autistic artist.  They expressed admiration for her artwork, which featured colorful images of nature, plants, flowers and landscapes. A brief video of the event was also produced by Post for viewing in its Facebook page.

 With the theme “We Make Change Work for Women,” the Consulate also prepared  month-long activities to highlight the empowerment of women as active contributors to and claimholders of development. It has designated 6 March as “Purple Friday” and provided a “Women’s Special Lane” at its Consular Section to cater to its female applicants. Other activities lined up for the Women’s Month are the launching of a social media campaign, distribution of information materials and video showing of women’s issues.

 Philippine Proclamation No. 227 s. 1988 provides for the annual conduct of the National Women’s month celebration in March to recognize the contributions of Filipino women in society. END