Nepal’s Gen Z to Tunisia’s Jasmine revolution: Youth uprisings that shook regimes

When Nepal imposed curbs on social media for not meeting legal requirements like setting up local offices and registering locally, few expected a generation raised on hashtags and digital campaigns to rise up -- let alone topple a government. But for Gen Z Nepalis, the restrictions symbolised more than just a clampdown on online freedom. They became the spark for a deeper revolt against unemployment, corruption and misrule.

Within hours, university campuses turned into rallying grounds, streets filled with chants, and violent clashes left nearly 20 people dead. In just 36 hours, Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli was gone — brought down by a wave of student-led protests that few saw coming.

Nepal’s “social media revolt” is the latest in a long line of youth uprisings that have shaken governments and regimes across the world. From Asia to Africa, the Middle East to Latin America, young people have repeatedly turned frustration into firepower, reshaping political landscapes in the process.

Bangladesh, 2024 – Students versus entrenched power
It started with job quotas. Students in Dhaka felt shut out of opportunities, and they took to the streets. But what began as a campus protest soon turned into a nationwide movement against decades of authoritarian rule. Security forces cracked down hard — dozens were killed — but the protests only grew. Within weeks, Sheikh Hasina, Bangladesh’s long-time Prime Minister, fled to India. An interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus stepped in, tasked with restoring calm and rebuilding trust.

Sri Lanka, 2022 – The Aragalaya movement against economic collapse
Imagine waiting in kilometre-long queues for fuel, or hospitals running out of basic medicines. That was Sri Lanka in 2022. Anger spilled into Colombo’s streets in what became known as the Aragalaya, or “the struggle.” Students, workers, families — tens of thousands — camped outside government offices and even stormed the presidential palace. The Aragalaya movement successfully forced the resignations of Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and then President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, marking the end of the family’s political dynasty.

Iran, 2022–23 – The ‘Women, Life, Freedom’ movement
The death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in the custody of Iran’s morality police ignited protests across the country. Led by young women and students, demonstrations spread to over 80 cities. They cut their hair, burned hijabs, and chanted for freedom. The regime responded with bullets and prisons — hundreds were killed, thousands arrested. But the movement put women’s rights and youth defiance at the centre of Iran’s political future, drawing global solidarity.

Myanmar, 2021 – Youth resistance against the coup
After the military seized power, Myanmar’s students and young professionals launched the Civil Disobedience Movement. They refused to work, paralysing public services. As the junta cracked down, many youths went further-- joining armed resistance under the People’s Defence Forces. By some estimates, more than a thousand civilians were killed in the first year alone, making it one of the bloodiest youth-led uprisings in recent times.

Hong Kong, 2019 – The Umbrella generation returns
The 2019 protests in Hong Kong were sparked by a proposed extradition bill, but for young Hongkongers it was never just about that. They saw it as another step in Beijing tightening its grip over the city. What began as opposition to the bill soon evolved into some of the largest pro-democracy demonstrations Hong Kong had ever seen.

Students and young citizens led creative, leaderless actions --flash mobs in shopping malls, human chains across the city, and laser pointers lighting up the night sky. They called it the “be water” strategy, inspired by Bruce Lee’s philosophy of being formless and adaptable. The government eventually withdrew the bill, but Beijing’s response was to impose sweeping national security laws, changing Hong Kong forever.

It’s important to note that the term “Umbrella Movement” refers to an earlier wave of protests in 2014, when demonstrators used umbrellas to shield themselves from police tear gas. The 2019–2020 movement drew on that legacy, carrying forward the symbolism and spirit of mass resistance.

Sudan, 2018–19 – Students topple a 30-year dictatorship
Bread price hikes triggered nationwide protests led by students and young professionals in Sudan. Months of sit-ins and marches forced Omar al-Bashir, Sudan’s ruler for 30 years, to step down. Though the transition remains fragile, youth activism was central in ending one of Africa’s longest dictatorships. 

Chile, 2019 – Youth for dignity and equality
It began in Santiago when secondary school students launched a coordinated fare evasion campaign against a metro fare hike. What started as turnstile-jumping quickly grew into massive demonstrations against inequality, privatisation, youth unemployment, and the rising cost of living. Students occupied train stations, clashed with police, and ignited a nationwide call for dignity. The unrest was so powerful it pushed Chile into an unprecedented effort to rewrite its constitution — not once, but twice. Both drafts were ultimately rejected, one seen as too radical, the other too conservative, but the protests left a permanent mark on Chile’s political landscape. 

Taiwan, 2014 – The Sunflower Movement
When Taiwan’s government moved to sign a trade deal with China in 2014, students feared it would undercut sovereignty. In response, they occupied the legislature for over three weeks — an unprecedented act. The deal was shelved, and the protests reshaped Taiwan’s politics, fuelling resistance to Beijing’s influence. The movement contributed to the rise of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) in subsequent elections, signaling a public desire for less economic reliance on China. 

Ukraine, 2013–14 – Euromaidan
It began with students in Kyiv protesting against a pro-Russian president who rejected closer ties with Europe. Soon, Independence Square became a battlefield, with barricades, burning tyres, and deadly clashes. By February 2014, Viktor Yanukovych had fled. But the uprising also marked the beginning of years of tension and conflict with Russia. 

Tunisia, 2010–11 – The Jasmine Revolution
Mohamed Bouazizi, a young street vendor in Tunisia, set himself on fire after repeated harassment by authorities. His desperate act lit a fuse. Students and young people poured into the streets, protesting unemployment, corruption, and repression. Within weeks, President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali fled the country, ending decades of rule.

Tunisia’s Jasmine Revolution didn’t stop at its borders. It inspired what became known as the Arab Spring, with uprisings spreading to Libya, Egypt, Yemen, Syria, and Bahrain. Long-time rulers fell — Ben Ali in Tunisia, Hosni Mubarak in Egypt, Muammar Gaddafi in Libya, and later Ali Abdullah Saleh in Yemen. Elsewhere, protests spiralled into civil wars and violent insurgencies. What began with a single young man’s protest reshaped the politics of an entire region.