When Gen Z gives a wake-up call: What Nepal’s youth uprising means for democracy

Kathmandu: Thousands of young Nepalis from across the country flooded the streets of Kathmandu on Sept 8. They were not there to pose and take selfies. They were ostensibly out against a government that had shut down social media services after platforms had reportedly failed to meet registration requirements within a 7-day deadline set by the K P Sharma Oli government.

By the next day, despite reversal on the ban on all 26 of social media platforms, Kathmandu and other parts of Nepal were ablaze, leaving 22 dead and more than 300 injured in clashes. To restore law and order, the military deployed troops to put a stop to violence targeted at government institutions and homes of the political class. And Oli resigned as PM.

To be sure, this is not a fleeting outburst after a suspension of WhatsApp, Facebook, and the inability to watch or post videos on TikTok. This was about a growing sentiment, only highlighted by the viral TikTok #NepoKid trend, by which young Nepalis have found the source of their trials and tribulations in Nepal's elite, including children of politicians and public figures, enjoying - and flaunting - privileges funded by corruption.


Dubbed 'Gen Z' protests, this marks a generation of Nepalis flipping the script after reaching a tipping point and demanding the ouster of corrupt administration and ushering in of better governance.

Corruption permeates every aspect of Nepal's society. The Cooperative Scandal of 2024, where billions in savings vanished into the pockets of connected insiders - including former Dhorpatan municipality mayor Dev Kumar Nepali, who was later extradited from India - left many destitute. Yet, no high-profile convictions during former PM Pushpa Kamal Dahal's rule, followed.

Many politicians live in opulent isolation in Kathmandu's elite enclaves. This nepotism has bred starkly visible inequality, with some 25% of Nepalis living below the poverty line. While suspension of social media wasn't the sole reason for the latest meltdown, it was, indeed, the straw that broke the proverbial camel's back.

No social media means much more than not being able to access Facebook reels and TikTok videos and share memes on WhatsApp. A suspension cuts off people in remote areas who rely on these platforms for school, remittances, emergency alerts during earthquakes, etc. It also silences journalists from reporting facts and sharing informed opinion. For a country still recovering from a major earthquake a decade ago that left some 9,000 dead, 2.8 mn displaced and about $10 bn in damage, these restrictions felt frightfully familiar.

Nepal ranks 108th out of 180 countries on Transparency International's Corruption Perceptions Index. Youth unemployment in Nepal is pushing many to migrate abroad - 7.4% of the country's population migrated abroad by 2021 - leaving a generation of 'left behinds'.

Yet, amid all the chaos and violence, there is hope. Gen Z's approach offers a blueprint for renewal: hybrid activism that blends digital ingenuity with physical presence. The solution lies in amplifying this - demand for independent anti-corruption probes, perhaps modelled on India's Lokpal, to investigate corruption allegations transparently. Nepal Army chief Ashok Raj Sigdel's appeal to protesters to come forward for dialogue on Tuesday is, therefore, reassuring.

Nepal could pivot to open-source platforms, or negotiate with tech giants for localised data protections without outright bans. Education reforms are key - integrate digital literacy and civics into curricula, equipping the youth to hold power accountable. International pressure matters, too. Donors like World Bank should tie aid to governance reforms. Locally, civil society must bridge generational divides, turning protests into policy dialogues.

Asset disclosures for officials' families should be mandatory, and campaign spending should be capped. By merging online campaigns with offline alliances - unions, students, farmers, migrants - coalitions that pressure parliament and government can be built.

As troops continue to patrol the streets and talks loom, Nepal's Gen Z is not just protesting, but are also trying to reimagine the country's democracy itself - building a system where connectivity fosters accountability and corruption is short-circuited. The lesson for South Asia from Nepal - and earlier from Sri Lanka and Bangladesh - is that it need not come to such a pass for the system to be fixed.

The writer is a Kathmandu-based businessman.