diseases, and epidemics such as Covid-19 and can benefit from learning proper hand washing techniques from a very young age, which also gives the added benefit that such practices can become a lifelong habit. Social robots built with autonomous behaviours have the potential to become scalable behavior change coaches in schools and community settings. With this goal, the author will present our work in the design of an autonomous social robot that would act as a handwashing assisting agent in schools to encourage and motivate children to practice proper handwashing techniques as recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO). Designed social robots built with autonomous behaviours creating the potential to become scalable behavior change coaches in schools and community settings. Robotics and AI are increasingly becoming a reality, indicating the criticality of a gender-inclusive perspective in the design of technology to ensure women are not further excluded from advancements in technology that are meant to enhance their wellbeing and life, overall.
Pa r a l l e l S es s i o n 1 - (B r e a ko u t Ro o m 2) Moderated by Dr. Meltem Alkoyak-Yildiz, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham 1. Gender Intersectionality In Recycling Laís dos Santos Pacheco, University Federal of Ouro Preto, Brazil Highlights Women enter and remain in the female recycling associations where employees are primarily engaged in plastic materials collection. African-American and black women face more challenges starting at the beginning stages of life and these challenges are systematic. There is often a compromise on the formal field of work for other informal jobs. Fixed salary, intense workload are some of the troubles affecting their placement at such associations. Due to the Covid situation there is higher exposure of women to risks given the lack of labor policies and social rights.This research tries to find how to take such jobs to the mainstream, so that safety and security become part of such policies, particularly at the sudden, unexpected onset of such a pandemic.
2. Actions For Better Gender Inclusion In Management of Integrated Water Resources Alexsandra Matilde Rezende Rosa, University Federal of Ouro Preto, Brazil Highlights Gender inclusion in water resources is a subject of concern. Women have been largely left outside decision making in this field. In the absence of training there is lack of participation and professional social relations amongst women. Women are also caught up with other tasks and hence unable to participate well in the field. There are prevalent calls for changes in the levels and extent of women’s participation in decision making related to community resources especially water. There is a need for political engagement and public policies to sensitise and promote access and control on assets by women. Covid is a wake up call for taking account of the needs of women too in spite of cultural and historical differences between genders. Brazilian legislation has measures to encourage women’s participation at various levels. Perhaps we need more support in all areas. The research looks at the importance of women in this field: which women should be there? How to equally divide the tasks? It also has potential for collaboration on the different ways to engage women towards better participation in water resource management. 3. Inside-Out: The Effect of Covid-19 Pandemic on the Ritualistic Traditions Amulya Dixit, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Amritapuri Highlights The research objective is to look into what happened to the rituals, specific to women during Covid. Although women have been integral components of various rituals, there has been a marked shift in their participation post Covid. Covid may also have affected the emergence of new rituals and practices based on social distancing and other Covid guidelines which need to be looked deeper into. The research strives to understand the changes by doing a before and after Covid study of the scenario. It also looks into how women have perceived the scenario based on their psychological conditioning. A possible research angle focuses on how the rituals 17
