Adult learning as metamorphosis and popular education for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender/gender diverse, and queer+ equality: The story of leonard matlovich
- Authors: Gates, Trevor , Ross, Dyann , Bennett, Bindi
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Adult learning Vol. 34, no. 4 (2023), p. 209-219
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- Description: Critical events in Leonard Matlovich’s life depict a reluctant activist for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender/gender diverse, and queer+ (LGBTQ+) equality. He served in the US military and subsequently came to personify the broad social challenges to the military’s homophobic culture and recruitment practices. Matlovich’s experience of a series of life metamorphoses made a difference beyond the individual. His example inspired multitudes of other concerned citizens in how to undertake their metamorphoses to challenge institutionalized homophobia. Breakthrough learning experiences in Matlovich’s life are presented to explore and refine aspects of transformative learning theory by applying Jane Martin’s metamorphosis model. The learning nexus between individuals and society is shown to be a dynamic interaction where both aspects of Matlovich’s story and his influence are explored in the context of today’s LGBTQ+ equality struggles. The article shows the conducive personal and societal conditions that enabled his various metamorphoses as whole-of-individual identity and sociocultural crossings toward transformational change. Additionally, the implications of Martin’s educational metamorphosis are discussed. Adult educators are encouraged to emphasize learning located in the learner’s life circumstances, exemplary case studies to inspire cultural crossings against injustice, and transformations as being about grasping in situ learning opportunities in the cross-influence between the whole person and their socio-historical context. Matlovich’s experiences show how relevant dimensions of Martin’s theoretical approach, coupled with support from allies, can contribute to personal agency and can build a groundswell of learning needed to support activism for social justice movements.
Cyberbullying, mental health, and lesbian, gay, and bisexual youth with disabilities : intersectionalities and environmental risks
- Authors: Gates, Trevor , Bills, Kaycee , Bennett, Bindi , Kelly, Brian
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Journal of Child and Family Studies Vol. 32, no. 10 (2023), p. 3159-3166
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- Description: Lesbian, gay, and bisexual youth with disabilities are at risk for being cyberbullied. Additionally, these risks can be compounded by other intersectional factors, such as cultural identity. Youth with multiple marginalized identities are at risk for stress, discrimination, and poor mental health outcomes as a result of bullying. However, research exploring the intersections between risk, sexual identity, and disability is sparse. In this article, we begin to address this gap in a diverse sample of lesbian, gay, and bisexual youth who have reported being cyberbullied in the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System. We discuss implications for child and family studies, identifying opportunities for further discussion on risk, mental health, and person-in-environment factors for lesbian, gay, and bisexual youth with disabilities. © 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.
Emotional wellbeing as a matter of relationships and love : insights for social work from mental health peer mentor trainees, carers and practitioners
- Authors: Ross, Dyann , Couche, Mary , Connolly, John , Bennett, Bindi
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Social Work in Mental Health Vol. 21, no. 6 (2023), p. 634-655
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- Description: The research gathered lived experience accounts of emotional wellbeing as a counter to the over-focus on illness and deficit language and approaches in mental health practice. The exploratory research study involved semi-interviews with mental health peer mentor trainees, carers and practitioners to explore their ideas about emotional wellbeing, what enabled it and what challenged their wellbeing. Emotional wellbeing was understood as a fluctuating continuum of capacities to engage in everyday activities, to self-care and to foster relationships with others. The absence of emotional wellbeing was linked to a reduced quality of relationships and ability to love. © 2023 The Author(s). Published with license by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.
Inclusion of animals in allied health practice in Australia : a beginning exploration
- Authors: Bennett, Bindi , Gates, Trevor , Yeung, Polly , Evans, Krystal
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Social Work in Mental Health Vol. 21, no. 3 (2023), p. 269-284
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- Description: Working with domesticated animals in allied health fields continues to evolve in Australia. We sought to gain an understanding of practitioners’ knowledge, skills, and actions when working with domestic animals in Australia. Adapting methods and measurements from a study performed in Aotearoa New Zealand, the current study surveyed 28 allied health practitioners analyzing the extent animals have been incorporated into practice in Australia, and the practice considerations made to domestic animal welfare and ethics. This research showed a continuing lack of clear workplace policies, support or professional training, and a call for ethical guidelines when working in partnership with animals. © 2022 Taylor & Francis.
Strengthening critical allyship in social work education: opportunities in the context of #BlackLivesMatter and COVID-19
- Authors: Gates, Trevor , Bennett, Bindi , Baines, Donna
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Social work education Vol. 42, no. 3 (2023), p. 371-387
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- Description: COVID-19 has shifted social work education and widened the gaps in services for historically marginalised communities, including people of diverse cultural, sexual and gender identities and social classes. Existing inequities based on cultural differences have been magnified, perhaps most recently evident in George Floyd's slaying and the subsequent #BlackLivesMatter demonstrations across the globe. Learning to be an ally for diverse communities and working towards the betterment of all people is a goal of social work education. We argue that simple allyship is not enough given the structural inequities present in North America and Australia the civil unrest amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Social work education's focus should trend towards allegiance with disadvantaged communities or critical allyship and include a commitment to undertake decisive actions to redress the entrenched colonial, capitalist, systemic and structural inequities that oppress many and provide unearned privilege and advantage to others. We explore strategies used in classrooms to promote allegiance and make recommendations for social work education, policy, and practice in this time of change.
The Continuous Improvement Cultural Responsiveness Tools (CICRT) : creating more culturally responsive social workers
- Authors: Bennett, Bindi , Morse, Claire
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Australian Social Work Vol. 76, no. 3 (2023), p. 315-329
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- Description: Social workers play a pivotal role in addressing equity and diversity within Australia using both culturally responsiveness skills and knowledge. This article describes a research project that resulted in the development of the Continuous Improvement Cultural Responsive Tools that can be used by social workers in their practice. This was a large project conducted over three years, which involved engagement and consultation with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community social workers. The community engagement and consultation process included the provision of cultural governance and participation in interviews. The tools developed are linked to seven key domains (Ngurras) that aim to increase the skills, knowledge, and overall confidence of social work practitioners in their culturally responsive practice. This article discusses the tools that provide a clear structure to guide social workers' critical engagement in becoming more culturally responsive social workers and individuals when working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples. IMPLICATIONS Social work practices need to address the social injustices faced by Aboriginal Peoples by becoming more culturall responsive. The tools were developed to support social workers in their practice to self-assess their transformation in becoming culturally responsive social workers. Continuous improvement in collaborative and culturally responsive social work will improve services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples.
The problem with cooperative action problems : conceptions of agency and the understanding of environmental crises
- Authors: Davis, Oscar , Bennett, Bindi , Menzel, Kelly
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Book chapter
- Relation: The Anthropocene Judgments Project: Futureproofing the Common Law p. 167-176
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Understanding camp dogs : the relationship between Aboriginal culture and western welfare
- Authors: Bennett, Bindi , Archer-Lean, Clare
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: AlterNative Vol. 19, no. 2 (2023), p. 293-302
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- Description: This article examines how rising concern for animal welfare in Australia is manifested in increased media coverage of these topics, including growing coverage of animal sentience, rights, and welfare. In Australia, canine existence is often determined by their positioning within cultural frames. Dogs have been integral to Aboriginal social, family, and environmental relationships for generations; however, colonisation brought fundamental changes to these established relationships, with ramifications that have prompted welfare concerns about camp dog populations. The goal of this article is to review existing research discourses and epistemological positioning of the supposed camp dog problem. We are not assessing individual programmes or reporting on fieldwork conducted with communities. Instead, this initial paper reviews some of the current literature to identify ways forward in facilitating Aboriginal self-determining of camp dog interactions in communities. © The Author(s) 2023.
Workplace friendships while teleworking during COVID-19 : experiences of social workers in Australia
- Authors: Gates, Trevor , Bennett, Bindi , Yadav, Raj
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: International Social Work Vol. 66, no. 1 (2023), p. 158-167
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- Description: COVID-19 has shifted Australia’s social service delivery. Understanding the impact on workplace relationships is key. This article used a small-scale sample of social workers (N = 37) to explore workplace friendship experiences while teleworking. Participants reported opportunities for friendships during COVID-19 but reported ongoing personal and professional concerns. © The Author(s) 2021.
Workplace heterosexism and well-being : education, social class, sexual orientation and gender identity, and human rights
- Authors: Gates, Trevor , Morse, Claire , Bennett, Bindi
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Journal of Human Rights and Social Work Vol. 8, no. 2 (2023), p. 117-122
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- Description: Human rights advocates work towards the inclusion of people of various identities, including people of diverse LGBTQ+ identities, cultural identities, and education. The purpose of this research note is to explore the intersection of lower- and working-class identity with race, gender, and educational attainment in a sample of LGBTQ+ workers in New York. Findings of the pilot study were that LGBTQ+ people from lower- and working-class backgrounds reported differences in risk of reporting heterosexism and likelihood the complaint would be taken seriously. Education and gender were significant factors in the sample. Implications and possible interventions for human rights advocates are provided. © 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.
Aboriginal social work academics: failure to thrive due to having to fight to survive?
- Authors: Bennett, Bindi
- Date: 2022
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Australian social work Vol. 75, no. 3 (2022), p. 344-357
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- Description: The Behrendt report (2012) highlighted the significant lack of representation of Aboriginal people in higher education. It called for a collaborative approach by governments, universities, and professional bodies to drive systemic changes. In the last decade, this has resulted in an increase of Aboriginal students, staff, and researchers. This article presents a qualitative research study in which Aboriginal social work academic participants described their experiences of curriculum changes, workload, and research in the academy. Implications for universities, and social work programs, in particular, show where more is needed in the form of antiracist action plans and follow-through with these to address failure to thrive due to having to fight to survive in the academy. IMPLICATIONS Aboriginal social work academics are continuing to find academia to be socially and politically unsafe and unfairly competitive. Universities are experienced by Aboriginal social work academics as being often unsupportive and untrustworthy workplaces. Non-Aboriginal social work academics need to increase their commitment to, and actions regarding, antiracist practice with their Aboriginal colleagues.
An intercultural critical reflection model
- Authors: Redfern, Helen , Bennett, Bindi
- Date: 2022
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Journal of social work practice Vol. 36, no. 2 (2022), p. 135-147
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- Description: Critical reflection is an important tool used by social workers to develop culturally responsive education, practice, and supervision. Current frameworks provide clearly defined processes for learners and professionals to create culturally safe learning and practice. However, in the models currently used in Australian social work, there is no representation of Aboriginal ways of knowing, being and doing. In this paper, we introduce a new model which integrates, for the first time, both Western and Aboriginal Peoples' epistemologies in critical reflection. This model is intended to be used by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and non-Indigenous learners and professionals who are dedicated to creating culturally safe spaces that acknowledge and integrate Aboriginal Peoples' culture and wisdom. The aim of the model is to support social workers to reflect deeply, then integrate and act on their learning in a culturally responsive way that may create transformative practice.
Australian social work: Proposed guidelines for articles by aboriginal and torres strait islander authors and about aboriginal and torres strait islander issues
- Authors: Bennett, Bindi
- Date: 2022
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Australian social work Vol. 75, no. 3 (2022), p. 273-279
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- Description: Australian Social Work (ASW) is an international peer-reviewed journal reflecting current thinking and trends in social work. Authors intending to submit to the Journal should prepare their manuscripts with both a social work audience and an international audience in mind. It is strongly recommended that authors familiarise themselves with articles previously published in the Journal. In this article recommendations are made and Guidelines suggested for the future direction for ASW and other journals in the explicit, respectful acknowledgement of the contribution of Aboriginal and Torres Strait knowledges to published work. Terminology: In these Guidelines, Indigenous refers to all First Nations peoples of the World. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander refers to the unceded sovereign First Peoples of Australia.
Creating spatial, relational and cultural safety in online social work education during COVID-19
- Authors: Bennett, Bindi , Ross, Dyann , Gates, Trevor
- Date: 2022
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Social work education Vol. 41, no. 8 (2022), p. 1660-1668
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- Description: Spatial, relational and cultural safety are critical elements of trauma-informed social work practice, gaining momentum in social work education. Culturally responsive and trauma-informed pedagogical approaches meet the definition of safety. The aim is to create a democratic, collaborative, and reflexive space whereby students and educators can feel simultaneously supported in the diversity of their respective lived experiences and learning. The challenges in fostering these learning and teaching spaces are reflected upon at one Australian university which responded to the COVID-19 pandemic by quickly transitioning to online learning without prior planning and consultation. The reflection describes the challenges and opportunities in delivering online content and the use of spatial, relational and cultural safety to navigate these challenges. The authors demonstrate the Aboriginal practice of social Yarning for use in online classrooms. Yarning helps educators and students attend to safety as an integral dimension of social work education.
Gender inequality and health disparity amid COVID-19
- Authors: Su, Zhaohui , Cheshmehzangi, Ali , McDonnell, Dean , Šegalo, Sabina , Ahmad, Junaid , Bennett, Bindi
- Date: 2022
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Nursing Outlook Vol. 70, no. 1 (2022), p. 89-95
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- Description: Gender inequalities could lead to grave human and economic consequences, especially amid global health crises of the coronavirus 2019′s (COVID-19) scale. The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated gender inequalities women face and introduced new challenges that are unprecedented to society at large. Adverse effects of COVID-19, compounded by unintended consequences caused by public health policies such as lockdowns (e.g., delayed or canceled health services), have forced women to face issues ranging from COVID-19 infections and deaths, prolonged unemployment, to unparalleled scale and severity of domestic violence. However, though women face a canopy of debilitating challenges, there is a shortage of research that examines health solutions that can mitigate, if not offset, challenges women experience amid COVID-19. In this paper, we aim to shed light on why timely solutions are needed to mitigate gender inequalities and health disparities women face amid COVID-19 promptly. Furthermore, we underscore the imperative for cost-effective interventions that could shed light on the current health crisis and future pandemics.
Indigenous cultural Identity of research authors standard: Research and reconciliation with Indigenous peoples in rural health journals
- Authors: Lock, Mark , McMillan, Faye , Warne, Donald , Bennett, Bindi , Kidd, Jacquie , Williams, Naomi , Martire, Jodie , Worley, Paul , Hutten‐Czapski, Peter , Saurman, Emily , Mathews, Veronica , Walke, Emma , Edwards, Dave , Owen, Julie , Browne, Jennifer , Roberts, Russell
- Date: 2022
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Rural Remote Health Vol. 22, no. 3 (2022), p. 1-9
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- Description: The Indigenous Cultural Identity of Research Authors Standard (ICIRAS) is based on a gap in research publishing practice where Indigenous peoples' identity is not systematically and rigorously recognised in rural health research publications. There are widespread reforms, in different research areas, to counter the reputation of scientific research as a vehicle of racism and discrimination. Reflecting on these broader movements, the editorial teams of three rural health journals - Rural and Remote Health, the Australian Journal of Rural Health, and the Canadian Journal of Rural Medicine - adopted a policy of 'Nothing about Indigenous Peoples, without Indigenous Peoples'. This meant changing practices so that Indigenous Peoples' identity could be embedded in authorship credentials - such as in the byline. An environmental scan of literature about the inclusion of Indigenous Peoples in research revealed many ways in which editorial boards of journals could improve their process to signal to readers that Indigenous voices are included in rural health research publication governance. Improving the health and wellbeing of Indigenous peoples worldwide requires high-quality research evidence. This quality benchmark needs to explicitly signal the inclusion of Indigenous authors. The ICIRAS is a call to action for research journals and institutions to rigorously improve research governance and leadership to amplify the cultural identity of Indigenous peoples in rural health research.
Position statement: Research and reconciliation with Indigenous peoples in rural health journals
- Authors: Lock, Mark , McMillan, Faye , Bennett, Bindi , Martire, Jodie , Warne, Donald , Kidd, Jacquie , Williams, Naomi , Worley, Paul , Hutten‐Czapski, Peter , Roberts, Russell
- Date: 2022
- Type: Text , Editorial , Journal article
- Relation: Australian Journal of Rural Health Vol. 30, no. 1 (2022), p. 6-7
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- Description: It is time to plant a flag in the White soil of academic journal publishing and declare, ‘This discourse includes the cultural voices of Indigenous peoples’. Indigenous peoples1 are almost invisible as academic authors in rural health journals. Occasionally, that indigeneity might be deduced from the institutional or organisational affiliation statements, or the acknowledgements, or the text of articles. Too frequently, it is not discernible in any way. In essence, Indigenous cultural identity is suppressed by the conventions of academic publishing. This sees author and subject credibility resting on Western views of provenance, including institutional affiliation, college membership, educational qualifications and disciplinary background. This research colonialism reflects a power imbalance that must end.
Psychoneuroimmunology concerns of the Olympic boycotts
- Authors: Su, Zhaohui , McDonnell, Dean , Bennett, Bindi , Bentley, Barry , Ahmad, Junaid , Šegalo, Sabina , Cheshmehzangi, Ali , da Veiga, Claudimar , Xiang, Yu-Tao
- Date: 2022
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Brain, Behaviour and Immunity Vol. 102, no. (2022), p. 206-208
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- Description: Just weeks away from the Opening Ceremony of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, the United States, followed by Australia, the United Kingdom, and Canada, has declared a diplomatic boycott of the Games. A diplomatic boycott stipulates that while government officials of these countries will not attend the event, the athletes’ scheduled attendance will largely remain intact. An unintended consequence of the boycotts is that they force the attending athletes to cope with the stress and distress associated with the 2022 Winter Olympics in an unfamiliar environment on their own. It is important to underscore that many of the challenges the athletes could face amid the Games are either deep-rooted or unprecedented, ranging from stressors fuelled by the nonstop media reports, the competitions, to the Omicron scares. These insights combined, in turn, underscore the imperative for effective and preemptive mental health support for Olympic athletes. To shed light on the issue, this paper highlights the reasons why timely solutions are needed to adequately safeguard Olympic athletes’ mental health and overall wellbeing, and underlines promising technology-based solutions that can be cost-effectively designed and developed for the athletes.
Teaching mental health and well-being online in a crisis: Fostering love and self-compassion in clinical social work education
- Authors: Gates, Trevor , Ross, Dyann , Bennett, Bindi , Jonathan, Kate
- Date: 2022
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Clinical Social Work Journal Vol. 50, no. 1 (2022), p. 22-34
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- Description: The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has shifted clinical social work (CSW) and mental health education in Australia, and indeed throughout much of the globe, onto online delivery. The disruption caused by COVID-19 presents unexpected challenges in fostering the development of skill sets among social work educators in partnership with students. This article is a reflexive collaborative autoethnography written by four educators of different international and cultural backgrounds at a regional university in Queensland. Our university has experienced a shift from primarily a face-to-face delivery to online delivery due to social distancing. This article is grounded in an ethic of love, a values-based relationship-oriented practice promoting care, collaborative dialogue and solidarity between people, using self-compassion and reflexivity. We explore how COVID-19 has forced the authors to alter their teaching practice, cope with uncertainties, and respond with loving kindness to the shifting needs of students. We draw upon our experiences as educators of diverse cultural, linguistic, gender, and sexualities from Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Nigeria and reflect upon how we have simultaneously turned inward and outward through technology. We draw upon person-centered, narrative, trauma informed and anti-oppressive clinical and educational approaches when exploring self-compassion and loving approaches with the students. We discuss the need for self-compassion and love of others as we respond to the current crisis by modeling self-compassion and love for CSW students who are experiencing crises, including loss of employment, separation from family overseas and interstate, isolation from colleagues and loved ones, and healthcare issues.
COVID-19 vaccine donations—vaccine empathy or vaccine diplomacy? A narrative literature review
- Authors: Su, Zhaohui , McDonnell, Dean , Li, Xiaoshan , Bennett, Bindi , Šegalo, Sabina , Abbas, Jaffar , Cheshmehzangi, Ali , Xiang, Yu-Tao
- Date: 2021
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Vaccines (Basel) Vol. 9, no. 9 (2021), p. 1024
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- Description: Introduction: Vaccine inequality inflames the COVID-19 pandemic. Ensuring equitable immunization, vaccine empathy is needed to boost vaccine donations among capable countries. However, damaging narratives built around vaccine donations such as “vaccine diplomacy” could undermine nations’ willingness to donate their vaccines, which, in turn, further exacerbate global vaccine inequality. However, while discussions on vaccine diplomacy are on the rise, there is limited research related to vaccine diplomacy, especially in terms of its characteristics and effects on vaccine distribution vis-à-vis vaccine empathy. Thus, to bridge the research gap, this study aims to examine the defining attributes of vaccine diplomacy and its potential effects on COVID-19 immunization, particularly in light of vaccine empathy. Methods: A narrative review was conducted to shed light on vaccine diplomacy’s defining attributes and effects in the context of COVID-19 vaccine distribution and dissemination. Databases such as PubMed and Medline were utilized for literature search. Additionally, to ensure up-to-date insights are included in the review, validated reports and reverse tracing of eligible articles’ reference lists in Google Scholar have also been conducted to locate relevant records. Results: Vaccine empathy is an individual or a nation’s capability to sympathize with other individuals or nations’ vaccine wants and needs, whereas vaccine diplomacy is a nation’s vaccine efforts that aim to build mutually beneficial relationships with other nations ultimately. Our findings show that while both vaccine empathy and vaccine diplomacy have their strengths and weaknesses, they all have great potential to improve vaccine equality, particularly amid fast-developing and ever-evolving global health crises such as COVID-19. Furthermore, analyses show that, compared to vaccine empathy, vaccine diplomacy might be a more sustainable solution to improve vaccine donations mainly because of its deeper and stronger roots in multilateral collaboration and cooperation. Conclusion: Similar to penicillin, automated external defibrillators, or safety belts amid a roaring global health disaster, COVID-19 vaccines are, essentially, life-saving consumer health products that should be available to those who need them. Though man-made and complicated, vaccine inequality is nonetheless a solvable issue—gaps in vaccine distribution and dissemination can be effectively addressed by timely vaccine donations. Overall, our study underscores the instrumental and indispensable role of vaccine diplomacy in addressing the vaccine inequality issue amid the COVID-19 pandemic and its potentials for making even greater contributions in forging global solidarity amid international health emergencies. Future research could investigate approaches that could further inspire and improve vaccine donations among capable nations at a global scale to advance vaccine equity further.