By: Karen Velazquez

On September 9th, Nepal witnessed something remarkable: hundreds of thousands of young people (primarily Generation Z) rose up against entrenched power, corruption, and censorship. The protests were sparked by a government ban on 26 social media platforms and quickly transformed from outrage into organized action. 

What made it truly historic was not just the sheer numbers, but how the movement's democratic process operated. A non-governmental group called Hami Nepal helped set up channels on Discord (tools often associated with gaming or subcultures) then invited people to debate, vote, and deliberate on leadership and next steps. Discord servers became digital town halls: thousands participated in polls, discussions, and ultimately nominated Sushila Karki, former chief justice, as interim Prime Minister.

This is a first for an electoral democracy: young citizens essentially using a digital platform to guide political transition. It shows democracy is not static or rigid...it adapts. Especially under pressure. In the worst of conditions (censorship, violence, lack of accountability) democracy finds cracks through which light can enter. There is hope. There is resilience. There is power.

Nepal’s Gen Z uprising has echoes of the Arab Spring, especially Tunisia’s Jasmine Revolution. In both cases, ordinary people were pushed to the brink over unemployment, corruption, exclusion, and oppression. Social media and digital tools played outsized roles. But unlike some Arab Spring cases, where change was followed by new forms of repression, Nepal shows potential for sustainable reform.

For the world, and for young people everywhere, Nepal offers a lesson: activism + organization + new tools can indeed reshape power. Democracy lives in the voices of those who refuse to be silenced.