Documentaries from about 20 countries, from a Chinese village doctor to Pakistan's energy corridor, mark anti-poverty day

Media organisations and production teams from about 20 countries in Asia, Africa, Latin America and Europe are taking part in the 2026 programme. Their documentaries record community-led projects and social change in fields including employment, housing, food security, women's empowerment, public services and sustainable rural development. CGTN opened a dedicated webpage for the Global South Directors Co-Production Program 2026 on October 17, the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty.

Local perspectives and independent storytelling are the core of the programme. Under a shared theme, filmmakers freely choose their own subjects, characters and creative approaches, and viewers come to understand what development means through the difficulties, choices and changes ordinary people go through. Participating institutions share broadcast rights and support distribution of the works in various languages and on various platforms.

The programme was launched by CGTN, part of China Media Group, as an international partnership for documentary co-production. It runs as part of the Global South Media Partners framework and is linked to the United Nations' 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. It addresses shared concerns including poverty reduction, sustainable development, social resilience, grassroots innovation, ecological transition and youth development. It also encourages countries to exchange development experience through production led by local crews, content sharing and joint distribution. This year's theme is "Beyond Poverty: Pathways to Shared Development in the Global South".

From a Chinese village clinic to a Jordanian cooperative

China's entry, "On the Rural Healthcare Front Line", documents the daily life of a young village doctor, who cares for the health of rural families through treatment, home visits and health education, responding to residents' medical needs.

The works tie broad social challenges to individual lives. Jordan's entry follows a woman who returned to her hometown to try sustainable farming and runs a cooperative with local women, showing how rural cooperation can create jobs and strengthen community bonds. Argentina's documentary shows a university in the Mendoza region extending its teaching and research beyond the lecture hall to support water conservation, livestock farming and local producers, and focuses on how academic research brings practical benefits to the community.

Agriculture and food security are also major themes. Burundi's entry looks at crop cultivation, livestock farming and agricultural processing, and at how these industries contribute to job creation and higher household incomes. A Russian documentary series tours the country's main farming regions with a focus on grain growing, analysing the links between research, production, processing technology and food supply.

Ethiopia's film follows changes in the life of a farming family in the Hadiya region, recording improvements in housing, clean water supply, sanitation and access to electricity. It shows what practical difference expanded rural infrastructure and agricultural development make to residents' daily lives. Pakistan's entry focuses on energy development along the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, CPEC, offering another perspective on regional development.

What viewers will find online

The new webpage carries information about the programme and the documentaries submitted by each country, and its content is to be updated regularly. By exploring the varied development experiences, viewers may find a shared aspiration for dignity, opportunity and a better life that connects communities across borders.

Watch the programme: www.cgtn.com/global-south-directors-co-production-rogram-2026.html

Read the original (Korean)