Beyond the Status Quo: Shifting Power and Strategy in an Uncertain Future

May, Wednesday 13, 2026

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87641302038

How will the shifting landscape of civic space redefine the fight for human rights and systemic justice over the next decade?

Most strategic planning relies on the status quo, but to support social movements in a Just Transition, we must pressure-test our strategies against emerging realities and uncertainties. Strategic foresight is a disciplined approach to exploring possible futures rather than predicting one outcome.

In this EDGEy Wednesday session we will move beyond ‘business as usual’ to present a collaborative future analysis of civic space and host a dialogue on its practical implications for a movement centered philanthropy.

This Civic Space Future Analysis is the result of a collective effort within the Global Protection Community of Practice, chaired by the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Humanity United and ActionAid Denmark —a multistakeholder network of over 80+ members, including grassroots-aligned donors, state actors, and CSOs.

To ground this global analysis in lived experience and local realities, we will be joined by experts providing regional perspectives from East and Southern Africa and Asia Pacific. Together, we will discuss how these future shifts intersect with local movement-building and the struggle for systemic justice on the ground.

Session Highlights:

• Systemic Analysis: A presentation of key future trends and drivers disrupting civic space and social
  movements globally.
• Regional Grounding: Deep-dive insights into how these shifts are reshaping the frontlines of human
  rights and democracy work in Africa and Asia.
• Foresight as Powershifting: A dialogue on how we can use foresight as a tool to navigate
  uncertainty—not just as a tool for “planning,” but as a method to build more adaptive, resilient
  strategies that support self-determination and movement-led change.

The session will be hosted by: ActionAid Denmark and the Global Social Movement Center (MOVE).

Speakers:

Villy Nawa, Head of Leadership and Governance Academy, MOVE Tanzania

Tanveer Kazi, Social Movement Expert, MOVE India

Marianne Møllmann, Director of Programs, ActionAid Denmark