“When there’s no food and all the children may die, selling one child to save the rest is a solution.”

Abdul Satar summarizes a harrowing situation. Parents hope to receive between $1,500 and $2,000 by selling their daughters, as boys are considered more valuable to the family.

Girls as young as eleven are married off as parents believe it's the only way for them to survive. While there are no official statistics, it's estimated that one in six girls in Afghanistan is married before the age of sixteen.

‘Don't Sell Me Mama’ showcases the devastating impact on the girls who have no say in the matter, and their heart-wrenching stories.

Don't Sell Me Mama / 2022
#Afghanistan

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Don’t let these pink outfits deceive you: these women can be tough. They are wielding sticks to stand up to abusers.

The 'Pink Gang’, also known as the Gulabi Gang, is a powerful movement in India led by Sampat Pal, a charismatic activist who teaches women to fight for their rights and protect themselves against domestic abuse.

Women under her protection are easily recognizable by their pink saris and sticks, which serve as a warning to any potential abusers. The movement not only teaches victims of domestic abuse self-defense but also offers counselling and support to help them regain their self-respect and independence.

Sampat Pal believes that education is the key force for change, and for women to move forward and live with dignity. ‘Girl Power: Hindi Style’ tells their inspiring story and shows the incredible impact of the Gulabi Gang on the lives of Indian women.

Girl Power: Hindi Style / 2021
#India

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Why did some African Americans leave the US for the Soviet Union?

Almost a century ago, hundreds of African Americans who struggled with racism and poverty moved to the Soviet Union. Even though slavery was abolished in the United States in 1865, African Americans still faced discrimination.

“Why did I make up my mind to move to Russia? I wanted to leave a country where I was facing discrimination, racism.” Francine Villa fled the US for Russia simply to escape racism, just like her grandfather did in the 1930s. Eventually, Francine and other black Americans have found freedom and a new homeland. Watch their story in ‘Black in the USSR’.

Black in the USSR / 2020
#USSR

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This mother of 44 children is the most fertile woman in the world. And she’s only 42 years old.

Mariam Nabatanzi was married off at the age of 12 and has given birth 15 times to twins, triplets, and quadruplets. She tried to find family planning options after her sixth child, but was advised by doctors to keep giving birth due to having "so many egg cells".

Mariam and her children now struggle to make a living in Kasawo village with little outside help. She blames her country's child marriage customs, which still persist despite government attempts to end them. She hopes to provide an education for all her children.

On World Population Day, the problem of child marriage in Uganda is explored through the eyes of Mariam and two underage mothers in ‘Mama Uganda’.

Mama Uganda / 2020
#Uganda

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These stressed-out people are staging their own funerals to tackle extreme pressure.

South Korea's work culture has been praised for its contribution to the country's economic success, but it has also led to high levels of stress and overwork among employees.

Children are pressured to excel academically from an early age, and this continues in the workplace with long hours and a highly competitive environment.

While the government has implemented measures to curb overworking, such as limiting the workweek to 52 hours, workers still face stress and emotional burnout. To cope, some turn to binge drinking or drastic measures such as staging their own funerals. Others seek temporary escape through stays in temples or mock prisons.

Find out about South Korea’s unconventional stress-relief methods in ‘Gangnam Stress’.

Gangnam Stress / 2019
#South_Korea

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All his life, Lalit has been covered in hair! The reason for his condition, called 'hypertrichosis' is still a mystery. Although some people have reacted negatively to his appearance, he has still managed to make true friends.

Hulya and Danil also have unique genetic disorders which make them special. These extraordinary individuals have come to embrace their uniqueness and serve as a powerful reminder that differences should be celebrated.

Despite advances in genetic research, much remains unknown about the impact of mutations on physical appearance. Watch ‘We Are Different’ to witness their inspiring journeys of self-acceptance.

We are different / 2021
#world

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These women can be business owners, schoolgirls, and mothers, but when they step into the ring they’re fearless luchadores.

In Bolivia, where domestic violence is all too common, the Fighting Cholitas' blend of glamor and strength sets a new template for femininity. The indigenous Bolivian women from El Alto, have adopted and adapted Mexico’s "lucha libre"—free wrestling—into a mix of genuine fighting and theatrics.

Wearing traditional multi-layered skirts and plaited hair, they play either a good "tecnico" or evil "rudo" character in pre-arranged fights. While the latter loses to send a positive message, the violence is real. Traumas are routine, but the thrill of empowerment is worth it for these women who take inspiration from changes in the perception of Cholitas in Bolivian society over the last decade.

The Good, the Bad and the Loco / 2017
#Bolivia

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Ukrainian prisoner of war, Vyacheslav Simbirsky, confesses that he still sees Mariupol civilians he killed while being high on drugs, in his nightmares. Vyacheslav used drugs for almost a year while in service. I surrendered to the Russians "so no one else would die by my hand and I wouldn't be used as meat". Before each fight, he recalls, their combat medic distributed injections among the soldiers for them to “cheer up”.

Experts on the issue claim that the country has become a testing ground for a secret CIA programme named MK ULTRA. The project was launched after World War II and its aim was to create fearless and ruthless soldiers through narcotics abuse. Declassified documents disclosed the modern aftermath of the operation.

Ukraine: Drug Testing Ground / 2023
#Ukraine

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With snow-white fur and eyes that are almost human, the harp seal pup wins the noscript of cutest, most adorable Arctic animal.

Sadly, their population is decreasing drastically, and their future is uncertain. Harp seal hunting was once big business in the Soviet era, but it's banned now due to being labelled an act of savagery.

Two Russian ecologists decided to venture into the Arctic to observe and study the seal colonies. They noted the special bond between a mother and her pup, and found that some of the seals were friendly enough to let people interact with them.

What dangers are these animals facing now?

Never Furget / 2021
#Arctic

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“I never thought — just like many other guys — that we would be so happy to have a bag of chocolate bars. And each has an innoscription 'To my dear soldier',” says Alan, callsign 'Professor', a Soldier of the Russian Army. As they say, a soldier is alive as long as he's remembered. In the midst of Grad shells and mortar rounds coming from Ukraine, a simple thing like children’s drawing or sweets can make a huge difference and give hope. Watch the documentary to find out how volunteers help soldiers to feel like home, even with little.

Donbass Volunteers: United Strength / 2023
#Donbass

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"I feel that my life and the life of my family members, and the future of my children are under threat in this country," says farmer Adi Schlebusch. The African National Congress is seeking to address historic injustices through land reform, including expropriation without compensation, which has sparked fears among white farmers.

South Africa's painful legacy of colonialism and apartheid still haunts the country, with racial disparities in income, jobs, and land ownership persisting.

What do other farmers, activists, and politicians in both white-only and black-first land groups think about this complex issue?

Watch our documentary on this Nelson Mandela Day, which commemorates the legacy of South Africa's first Black president, who brought an end to the racial segregationist policies of the country’s apartheid system.

Reaping Divine Justice / 2019
#SouthAfrica

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In Jharia's burning coal fields, people dream of a safe and greener life.

The region is home to India's richest coal reserves, but also to an underground fire that has been burning for over 100 years, perpetually wreathing the area in suffocating smoke.

The people living there are mired in poverty and many resort to stealing and selling small baskets of coal from the quarry to make a meagre living. Life there is dangerous as the fire frequently consumes whole houses, and blasting often impacts the village, damaging buildings and throwing coal dust into the air.

How does it feel when your only means of income jeopardizes your health and life?

Inferno Village / 2017
#India

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After years being held captive by violent militias, drugged and trained to kill, child soldiers face a long road integrating back into society.

One survivor recalls a brutal incident in which the militants raped women, killed civilians with machetes, and burned down an entire village. During the civil war in the Central African Republic, thousands of lost children and orphans were recruited to fight for Christian and Muslim religious groups.

Following a ceasefire, humanitarian organizations began to demobilize child soldiers. These children are now being 'deprogrammed' in rehabilitation centers before being reunited with their families.

Children of the Front / 2016
#CentralAfricanRepublic

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"We are now at the third tier of the front. Artillery can get us, they know we’re here, ‘birds’ track us to shell us,” says war correspondent Andrey Filatov.

Since 2015, Andrey has gone to the most dangerous zones in Donbass within a few hundred metres from enemy positions. Constant risk does not frighten Andrey, as his work is needed on the frontlines. As a skilled cameraman, Andrey can sometimes find a position to hide that provides him a minimal chance of getting hit.

The documentary portrays the daily risks journalists overcome in order to capture the events unfolding on the frontlines.

War Correspondents-2. 'Birdman' and 'Good Girl' Olya / 2023
#Donbass

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Akihiko is no longer able to communicate with his wife, due to… a software glitch.

His unusual wife, Miku, is not a real woman. She is a Vocaloid hologram whose software is no longer supported and for this reason, he can no longer communicate with her.

Akihiko Kondo has been married for years and is so happy with his wife that he said he would never leave her for a real woman.

But how did they even ‘get married’? Learn more about this unusual love story.

I Married a Hologram / 2021
#Japan

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“We throw ourselves into the void and face death, just to savour life later,” says one of a group of wingsuit addicts, despite the tragedies they have known.

For over 25 years, a group of six friends shared a love for BASE jumping and wingsuit flying. They were fearless in their pursuit of the most difficult jumps, taking on the likes of the Strait of Gibraltar, Antarctica, and even volcanoes. To them, these dangerous feats were a celebration of life and a pure expression of joy.

However, half the group have died in accidents over four years, leaving an imprint on those who remain. Some survivors have found it difficult to experience the same level of joy in jumping, but none have given up the sport completely.

How far would you go to celebrate life?

Gone with the Wing / 2017
#Spain

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