The Rising Tide: How Gen Z is Redefining Protest in Asia

When young Nepalis began sharing memes and kickstarting discussions mocking government corruption in April 2025, few in Kathmandu’s political circles took notice. Flash forward to September 2025 and, within days, TikTok reels turned into street marches, Discord threads became strategy meetings. By the time social media bans were imposed, the movement had already outpaced them, spreading through encrypted servers and proxy networks, uniting thousands under a single mantra: we are here and we will be heard.

This is the new face of protest. From Nepal’s capital to Indonesia’s streets, from Madagascar’s universities to Bangladesh’s squares, Gen Z – a generation of digital natives born roughly between the late 1990s and early 2010s – is rewriting what mobilization looks like. Some words come to mind: fluid, decentralized, irreverent, fast and disruptive, moving their tentacles through networks.

Two constants continue to define them: mastery of digital tools, and a refusal to settle for the status quo.

“Young people have effectively leveraged tools such as social media by using them in ways that outpace traditional systems,and the pivotal role it played in uniting youth was evident in the recent protests in Nepal. Young people rallied their peers through memes, reels, and posts on various platforms, including TikTok, Instagram, and discord, in the process of building a shared political language to articulate their grievances. Frustratingly, for established powers who lack the digital literacy their younger counterparts possess, it proved challenging to fully understand the scope of such a movement as it took shape in various corners of the internet, let alone penetrate or exert control over it,” shares Juria Sato Bajracharya of Global Nation in an interview with Bibbi Abruzzini of Forus.

Young people are demanding transparency, merit-based governance, and decisions made openly, not in smoke-filled rooms.

## Beyond Nepal: Regional Shifts in Civil Society and the Rise of Youth Activism

The recent political developments in Nepal, as highlighted by the EU System for an Enabling Habitat for Civil Society (EU SEE), the transformative crisis in nepal also highlights further regional deteriorations in the enabling environment for civil society. Despite constitutional protections, csos in India continue to face surveillance, harassment and increasing legal scrutiny. Sri Lanka remains in a precarious position since president Gotabaya rajapaksa fled the country in 2022.In neighboring Bhutan, civil society activities are constrained by bureaucratic red tape, a lack of access to information, and the discretionary implementation of restrictive laws. In Pakistan, mass convictions of opposition party supporters have had a chilling effect on civil society. The situation in Myanmar is especially critical. The military junta has halted the NGO distribution of critical HIV, malaria and tuberculosis medications, while travel bans and transport restrictions are on the rise as regional tensions increase.

And while Nepal’s political shift has captured global attention, just across the region, Sri Lanka’s youth have been forging their own path toward democratic renaissance.

It’s not just Gen Z

Kasumi Ranasinghe Arachchige, an integrative researcher, activist and CADE Youth Voices for Digital Rights advocate from Sri Lanka, speaks from within a powerful moment of youth-driven civic awakening in her country.

Sri Lankan young people have a long history of student mobilization and community organizing, but the 2022 Aragalaya marked a historic turning point: a decentralized, digitally enabled, intersectional uprising where thousands occupied streets and public squares demanding accountability, democratic reform and an end to economic crisis.For Arachchige, what happened was about exclusion and survival. As she explains in an interview with Forus, “it’s not just a Gen Z or it’s not a generation that is asking, it is literally the people who have been neglected, who have been prioritized less, who have not been given basic necessities… access to health, security, water and all the requirements for humans, for civilizations to continue.”

her grounding in psychology and ecopsychology shapes how she understands the emotional pulse behind today’s movements. Young people, she says, are not imagining climate and economic collapse in abstract terms, they can feel it arriving: “The younger generations are seeing the future, but not as a far-fetched destruction – a very limited and closely coming one.” That proximity, she notes, is why “we see a lot more younger generations, a lot more young people on the streets.”

Madagascar’s Gen Z Leads a Nation in Uprising

authorities dismissed them as “student disturbances.” By nightfall,there were nationwide uprisings.

“We were getting back our dignity,” says Morasata Alimana Marc, Vice-president of Madagascar’s civil-society platform PFNOSCM.

On October 13,after weeks of clashes the president fled the country. parliament was dissolved. An interim military government promised a new start – though history’s warning hung heavy. The country’s crises had become cyclical: 1972, 1990-92, 2002, 2009, and now 2025 according to Erico Randriarimalala, member of PFNOSCM and of the Human Rights Observatory in Madagascar.

“We have the right to speak out when our society is failing us. In Madagascar, our decision-makers are not respecting our basic rights – we are seeing growing restrictions on freedom of expression, and a lack of access to quality education, decent jobs, and policies that address our most basic needs. Today, people are even having to protest simply to secure access to water and electricity,” he explains in an interview with Forus.

Despite heavy repression by security forces, Gen Z in Madagascar vowed not to back down, urging people from all regions to join them and declaring that “the Malagasy people do not submit.” Image by plateforme Nationale des Organisations de la Société Civile de Madagascar (PFNOSCM). Used with permission.

A Global Wave of Youth-Led Protests: From the Philippines to peru

A new generation is rising up across the globe, challenging corruption, demanding justice, and reshaping the landscape of activism. From the Philippines to Peru, young people are at the forefront of protests, often facing repression but finding strength in solidarity and intergenerational alliances.

The Philippines: organizing from Behind Bars

Recent anti-corruption protests in the philippines were met with a harsh crackdown,resulting in the arrest of hundreds,including minors,under laws dating back to the dictatorship era. However, this repression sparked a remarkable response. Detainees organized themselves from within prison walls, forming the Alliance Against Corruption and Police Brutality (ACAB). Upon their release, they discovered unexpected allies, demonstrating the power of collective action and shared purpose.

Peru: Facing a Shrinking Space for Civil Society

In Peru, youth mobilizations against pension reforms have collided with an increasingly hostile government. Law 32301 grants authorities broad powers over NGOs, effectively silencing activists as protests escalate. “Civil society’s protective role is shrinking as risks grow,” warns Carlos Arana from the Asociación Nacional de Centros (ANC). Despite these challenges, artists, students, and informal workers continue to take to the streets, resolute to make their voices heard and drive change.

“Young people, regardless of party affiliation or other generations, have consistently called citizens to take obligation for protest. Their deep attachment to values of justice and equity allows them to intermittently emerge as catalysts for societal change,” adds Josefina Huamán, Executive Secretary of ANC, which also serves as the secretariat of la Mesa de Articulación de Asociaciones Nacionales y Redes de ONGs de América Latina y el Caribbean.

The Gen Z rebellion is a global phenomenon,manifesting in diverse ways but united by a common thread: a demand for a more just and equitable world. these movements demonstrate the enduring power of youth to challenge the status quo and inspire change, even in the face of adversity.

Paraguay: Police Repression of gen Z protest Raises Concerns

A recent demonstration in Paraguay, organized by the Gen Z generation to protest against corruption, was met with a disproportionate response from law enforcement, raising concerns about freedom of assembly and potential overreach by authorities.The event saw a massive police operation involving around 3,000 officers, which the National Police claimed was meant to “accompany the youth.”

According to EU SEE data, the march, promoted on social media, gathered around 300 to 400 participants, including both young people and adults. Early on, attendees reported excessive police controls and the arrest of four individuals. Organisers had previously stated that the demonstration was peaceful, unaffiliated with any political parties or NGOs, and unfunded. They also warned of misleading messages online attempting to misrepresent the nature of the protest, with officers infiltrating WhatsApp, Telegram, and other social media groups.

“What was unusual about this event was the excessive police presence, the heavy-handed repression of protesters at the end of the day, and the large number of detainees held without cause. Another novel aspect was the ‘cyber-policing’ on social media conducted by the authorities prior to the demonstration. Previous citizen mobilisations, such as those in March 2025, had not faced such extreme measures from the police,” civil society representatives from Pojoaju (Asociación de ONG’s del Paraguay, the Association of NGOs from Paraguay), shared with Forus and the EU SEE network.

Various movements continue to monitor the situation and advocate for the release of those detained and a thorough examination into the police response. the incident highlights growing concerns about the suppression of dissent and the potential for authorities to take advantage of peaceful protests.