Fadoua Badih, a Generation Z protester from Morocco, protested in her hometown of Marrakesh and says she was happy her generation showed up to call for change. (Photo: Christian Science Monitor)
Tags : Generation Z, Nepal, Morocco, Madagascar, protests against corruption, Genz212
By [Your Name]
Sambidhan Prasai never expected that the revolution would find him in bright orange Lululemon shorts. “The air felt charged, like the whole country was holding its breath,” recalls the 22-year-old Nepali student, who was swept into the crowds surging through Kathmandu earlier this year. What began as a youth-driven protest movement soon toppled the government, marking a dramatic shift in a country where political instability is hardly new—but a movement powered by Generation Z is.
From Nepal to Morocco, Indonesia to Madagascar, a new wave of globally connected, digitally fluent young people is taking to the streets, demanding accountability, dignity, and a future they feel slipping out of reach. In many countries, their demonstrations have rattled power structures; in others, they have helped bring them down entirely.
A Global Generation, A Global Uprising
The grievances echo across continents: soaring inequality, persistent corruption, fragile job markets, and governments seen as ignoring daily hardships while investing in prestige megaprojects. Despite their education, many Gen Zers say they face a labor market that no longer rewards their efforts. Social media, meanwhile, feeds a daily stream of unattainable luxury lifestyles—often of political elites’ children.
Unlike previous protest eras, today’s youth can not only witness but coordinate global discontent.
“We’re seeing more citation—protests referring to other protests,” says David Clark, a scholar of global movements at Binghamton University. Online platforms allow demonstrations to spark “chain reactions” in real time.
This interconnection is one of the defining features of the Gen Z revolt. Hashtags travel. Memes migrate. And symbols—like the Jolly Roger flag from the Japanese manga One Piece—have become universal emblems of resistance. The revolution, in many ways, is crowdsourced.
Inspiration Across Borders
In Morocco, 24-year-old Fadoua Badih remembers watching videos of Nepal’s uprising on TikTok.
“We just woke up and saw what was happening,” she says. “The Gen Z did it this time.”
For years, Moroccans watched as their government poured billions into hosting the 2030 World Cup—even as survivors of the 2023 earthquake continued living in tents without access to basic services. Small protests emerged but remained scattered. Nepal changed that. Conversations on Discord, once used for gaming, shifted overnight to strategy and activism.
“People were like, ‘We should do it too! It’s time,’” Badih says.
Across the globe, similar stories unfold. In Indonesia, political science student Nazla found her activism ignited when politicians attempted to lower the age requirement for vice president, widely seen as a move to create a political dynasty. Though her mother forbade her from marching due to health concerns, she joined the digital front lines, designing infographics and campaign materials.
“It felt like I was part of the movement—just with a different front line,” she says.
Digital Tools and Decentralized Power
Unlike older generations, whose activism often required central leadership, Gen Z relies on decentralized, digitally coordinated action. Through social media, they teach each other their rights, document police misconduct, and avoid common pitfalls of street protests.
“The protests are decentralized but heavily coordinated online,” says Dr. Clark. “That makes it harder for governments to decapitate the movement.”
And while some movements have led to government collapse, most protesters insist their primary demand is systemic reform—not revolution.
In Nepal’s case, corruption, inequality, and dynastic politics were the core targets. The prime minister’s resignation came only after hundreds of buildings were burned and demonstrations intensified, but protesters say their demands were constructive: transparency and opportunity.
A New Kind of Class Struggle
In Madagascar’s capital, Antananarivo, water shortages and constant power outages are part of daily life. Entrepreneur Rakotoseheno Fanilo Marc Adriano remembers waking at 3 a.m. to secure a seat in overcrowded university classrooms. Now running a digital marketing startup, he worries for a generation whose potential is being squandered.
“Young Malagasy are talented, with so much potential,” he says. “We just want the barriers removed.”
Experts argue that Gen Z’s activism represents a modernized version of class struggle—not framed around ideology but around dignity.
“These are demands about everyday life: jobs, health care, services,” explains Thai scholar Janjira Sombatpoonsiri. “They point to a sense of dignity.”
Risk and Resolve
The stakes can be high. In Morocco, where dissent is closely monitored, Badih attends protests with her ID, emergency contacts, and a lawyer’s number. She avoids carrying signs—an easy way to be detained.
“It is scary,” she admits. “You go out, and you don’t know if you’re coming back.”
But fear pales against the feeling of generational responsibility.
In Kenya, where youth unemployment remains stubbornly high, Kìhuria Wa Ndorongo carries a water bottle and a Kenyan flag to every demonstration.
“I feel proud,” he says. “The youth are finally taking charge.”
A Generation Determined to Shape the Future
Across movements, one sentiment persists: hope.
Gen Z sees itself not only as a generation burdened by economic hardship, but as one uniquely equipped to demand—and achieve—systemic change.
“We are part of a global, digital world,” says Badih. “We are focused, informed, communicating with each other. We know how to get long-term improvements. We want change.”
And from Kathmandu to Casablanca, Antananarivo to Jakarta, they are showing the world they are willing to fight for it.
#Morocco #GenerationZ #Genz212
