COVID-19 Vaccination Program for Migrant and Refugee Women in Western Australia: Community-Led Approach and Decolonizing Practice Reflections

The COVID-19 pandemic disproportionately impacted culturally and racially marginalized (CARM) migrants in Australia, with communities having varying levels of accurate knowledge about COVID-19 vaccines. At the height of the pandemic, public health programs that prioritized colonial knowledge and practices resulted in negative social, economic, and health outcomes for CARM communities. To support access to COVID-19 vaccinations and equity in delivery, therefore, it is critical that awareness-raising programs are tailored to meet all communities' intersecting needs. In this paper, we share our reflections on a community-led COVID-19 vaccination awareness program designed specifically for CARM migrant women in Perth, Western Australia. The program was led by CARM migrant women who delivered five public information sessions for women in the Pakistani, Iraqi, Chin, and Indonesian communities. This paper offers an overview of the program and critical reflections on the challenges involved in community-led programs that are underpinned by a commitment to decolonization.