Southern Voice is proud to announce the launch of its inaugural vodcast series “The Compass: Voices from the Global South,” a multimedia initiative elevating diverse perspectives, lived experiences, and research insights from across the Global South. It is available on YouTube and on Spotify, with new episodes every  Tuesday, starting on April 7th. 

At a time when the international development landscape is marked by growing fragmentation, contested narratives, and declining trust in multilateral systems, The Compass creates a dynamic space for open, reflective dialogue. The series brings together voices from Southern Voice’s network of over 70 think tanks across 35 different countries to explore how knowledge is produced, shared, and shaped, and who gets to define the narratives that influence global policymaking.

Filmed during Southern Voice’s conference in São Paulo in October 2025, the vodcast focuses on a key theme: Narrative Power. It has five episodes, each lasting 15 to 20 minutes, featuring intimate, interview-style conversations between two members from different regions. These exchanges move beyond technical discussions, offering a more personal and nuanced look at the ideas, challenges, and motivations behind their work and the central theme.

A platform for Narrative Change

The inaugural season of The Compass examines how the Global South can strengthen ownership over knowledge production, and how to reshape dominant global narratives.

Across its five episodes, the series explores critical questions around who controls development narratives, how data and evidence are valued, and what it takes to ensure Southern perspectives are not only included, but lead. Featuring cross-regional dialogues, each episode highlights both shared challenges and context-specific insights, reinforcing the diversity and interconnectedness of the Southern Voice network.

EPISODE

DATE

PARTICIPANTS

 01: Setting the Stage

 April 7th, 2026 Margarita Gomez (Executive Director, Southern Voice) 

Rose Ngugi (Steering Committee Chair, Southern Voice and Fellow at Africa Economic Research Consortium (AERC))
02: Who Controls The Story? April 14th, 2026  Tracy Mamoun (Head of Policy and Network Strategy, Southern Voice) 

Dushni Weerakoon (Executive Director, Institute of Policy Studies of Sri Lanka, IPS)
03: Knowledge Ownership and Data Gaps April 21st, 2026  Margarita Beneke de Sanfeliú (Director, Center for Research and Statistics, FUSADES)

Adebukola Daramola (Associate Professor, Nigerian Institute of Social and Economic Research, NISER)
Episode 04:

Changing Narratives In Practice

 April 28th, 2026 Mariana Rondon (Programme Director, Plataforma CIPÓ) 

Gilles Yabi (Executive Director, West Africa Think Tank, WATHI)
05: T20 and The Future of Narrative Power May 5th, 2026  Luciana Servo (President, Institute of Applied Economic Research, IPEA) 

Mikatekiso Kubayi (Senior Researcher, Institute for Global Dialogue, IGD)

Expanding how Southern Voice Communicates

As a communications-led initiative, the vodcast represents a strategic step in broadening Southern Voice’s storytelling approach. By complementing its research outputs with accessible, narrative-driven content, the series aims to deepen engagement with policymakers, funders, scholars, and wider global audiences.

Short-form clips from each episode will be shared across Southern Voice’s digital platforms – including YouTube, LinkedIn, Twitter/X and Spotify – to extend reach and to connect audiences with ongoing projects and initiatives. As a pilot, the first season will also inform future multimedia efforts, strengthening the organisation’s ability to communicate complex ideas in more human and relatable ways.

Strengthening Visibility and Influence

Through The Compass, Southern Voice seeks to amplify the visibility of Global South research and to ensure that locally grounded evidence reaches broader and more influential audiences. By positioning its members as thought leaders and storytellers, the series contributes to ongoing efforts to rebalance power in global knowledge systems and policymaking spaces.

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