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Mapping Civic Futures

DARIRO 1.0

Join us for Two Transformative Days

  • 19-20 November 2025
  • Pretoria, South Africa
JOIN THE DIALOGUE
A Strategic Gathering for Civic Actors

Building Solidarity and Foresight Across Southern Africa

The Civic Futures Roundtable Series ‘Dariro’ is convened by Southern Africa Trust as a strategic learning and capacity-sharing initiative designed to equip civic actors across Southern Africa with the foresight tools, and solidarity infrastructure needed to navigate an increasingly complex and contested civic space.

Rooted in intersectional feminist values, this inaugural roundtable brings together human rights defenders, feminist and women’s rights formations, youth-led collectives, artivists, media actors, to anticipate political, social, economic, and technological disruptors while co-creating adaptive strategies for the future.

DARIRO 1.0 marks the beginning of a journey toward co-creating a Southern Africa Civic Futures Learning Agenda wholly owned by civic actors to guide advocacy, strategy, and collaborative action across the region.

Voices of Change

Civic actors across Southern Africa defending rights and building solidarity

Human Rights Defenders

Standing up against authoritarianism and repression across the region

Feminist Organizers

Building intersectional movements for gender justice and equality

Artivists

Using creative expression to challenge power and inspire change

Youth Collectives

Leading the next generation of civic engagement and activism

Our Objectives

What We aim To Achieve Together

Map Civic
Space

Assess the current state of civic space while identifying emerging political, economic, and social forces that threaten or reshape civic engagement over the next 3-5 years.

Strategic Foresight Tools

Equip participants with practical methodologies including Scenario Canvas for Foresight and Media Resilience in Civic Action to anticipate future trends.

Cross-Border Solidarity

Foster reflection on liberation and feminist histories to inform contemporary and decolonised approaches to transnational organizing and mutual support.

Regional Civic Agenda

Generate foundational insights and strategic directions for a cohesive regional learning framework guiding advocacy, strategy, and collaborative civic action.
Two Days of Transformation

Reflection, Learning, and Co-Creation

Day One: Reflection & Scanning the
Future

19 November 2025

  • Opening Cultural Celebration (08:30 – 09:00)
    A vibrant showcase of Southern African music, dance, and storytelling sets the tone. Participants connect through shared stories of struggle, heritage, and visions of freedom.
  • Welcome & Framing (09:00 – 09:45)
    Trust leadership and invited speakers frame the purpose, inviting participants to connect futuring with their own journeys in defending rights.
  • Plenary: State of Civic Space (10:15 – 11:45)
    An intersectional feminist analysis highlighting challenges—shrinking space, disinformation, repression—and opportunities from youth leadership and cross-border solidarity. Interactive talk show format with live polling.
  • ‘The Picture of Now’ (11:45 – 13:00)
    Speed-dating style conversations assessing the current state of the civic ecosystem across the region.
  • Parallel Sessions (14:00 – 16:00)
    Track A: Political & Social Disruptors—exploring authoritarianism, civic restrictions, gendered violence, and demographic shifts.
    Track B: Economic & Funding Futures—examining economic instability, inequality, and the changing donor landscape.
  • Roundtable Conversations (16:00 – 17:00)
    Small groups map emerging disruptors and opportunities as critical signals of change in civic space.
  • Closing Reflection (17:00 – 17:30)
    Collective reflection capturing insights and setting the stage for Day 2’s foresight work.

This work is supported by The Irene M. Staehelin Foundation (IMS) and The Open Society Foundations (Africa Office).

Day Two: Co-Creating Futures & Grounding Solidarity

20 November 2025

  • Introduction to Foresight Tools (08:30 – 09:00)
    Practical methods introduced—scanning drivers of change, developing scenarios, and backcasting to frame the scenario labs.
  • Scenario Labs (09:00 – 12:30)
    Lab A: The Future of Human Rights Defence—co-creating scenarios on how defenders might operate amid surveillance, repression, and technological change.
    Lab B: The Future of Women’s Rights & Feminist Organising—envisioning how intersectional movements can remain resilient and powerful in uncertain times.
  • Freedom Excursion (13:30 – 16:30)
    A transformative guided visit connecting participants to the legacies of liberation and cross-border solidarity. On-site reflection explores how past struggles for Uhuru inspire future civic action strategies.
  • Closing Plenary (18:00 – 20:30)
    Collective visioning and commitments at the #CulturalArtsEscape Festival. Civic actors share visions for strengthening resilience, innovation, and solidarity. Nomination of “futures anchors” to co-design subsequent roundtables and shared commitment to building the Southern Africa Civic Futures Agenda.

Add Your Voice

Join the conversation. Share your thoughts, experiences, and visions for civic futures in Southern Africa.

Community Voices

As a youth engagement lead, I see how digital repression is evolving. We need to share tools and knowledge across borders to protect our communities while amplifying our voices.

Inonge Sakala

Youth Engagement lead

The shrinking civic space across our region demands urgent collective action. We must strengthen cross-border solidarity and learn from our liberation movements to build resilient strategies for the future.

Rachel Gondo

Special Projects Coordinator