Honey Maharjan (L) participated in Gen Z-led protests against the Nepalese government. (Photo courtesy Honey Maharjan)
Nepal’s Telecommunications Authority at midnight on Sept. 4 blocked 26 social media platforms — including X, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram. The move ignited growing discontent among Generation Z, many of whom are in their teens and 20s, over government corruption.
What began as a peaceful protest led largely by young people, including members of the LGBTQ community, soon turned violent and ultimately forced the prime minister to resign.
The government said the platforms failed to register within a seven-day deadline under new regulations intended to curb fake news, hate speech, and online fraud. Only five companies complied, prompting a blanket shutdown that disrupted communication for nearly 90 percent of Nepal’s 30 million internet users, many of whom depend on these apps for news, business, education, and contact with relatives working abroad.
The ban backfired almost immediately.
Many Nepalese youth, already angered by viral TikTok videos exposing the lavish lifestyles of politicians’ children, viewed it as a blatant attempt to silence anti-corruption discourse. Between Sept. 7 and 8, small gatherings began in Kathmandu’s Maitighar Mandala and New Baneshwor areas near parliament. Thousands of young citizens, including members of the LGBTQ community, chanted slogans such as “Stop the ban on social media, stop corruption, not social media” and “Youth Against Corruption.”
By Sept. 8, the crowds had swelled into the tens of thousands, with protesters defying police lines and storming parliament gates. Violence erupted when security forces responded with tear gas, water cannons, rubber bullets and live ammunition, killing at least 19 protesters — including a 12-year-old — and injuring more than 300 in Kathmandu, the Nepalese capital, alone. Two additional deaths were reported in Itahari, a city in eastern Nepal.
Protesters retaliated by hurling stones and scaling barriers, plunging the demonstrations into chaos. Authorities imposed curfews across several districts, but young people defied the orders, ferrying the injured on motorcycles and continuing their marches.
While politicians and their families flaunted luxury abroad — from designer bags to exotic vacations — ordinary Nepalese struggled with a per capita annual income of just $1,300. LGBTQ and intersex Nepalese face additional barriers, including discrimination in employment and education that contribute to lower economic outcomes compared to the general population.
Nepal’s sluggish development has forced millions to seek work abroad, straining families and fueling a persistent brain drain. Gen Z, facing limited opportunities, rising prices and the disruption of online education due to the social media ban, felt betrayed by unfulfilled electoral promises.
Human Rights Watch notes that while Nepal legally recognizes transgender people as a third gender, many have been denied identity documents. A small number have managed to change their documents from “male” to “female,” but the process typically requires an invasive and humiliating physical exam in a medical setting — a practice widely criticized as a human rights violation.
The social media ban was widely seen as an attempt to suppress dissent, reflecting broader concerns about government overreach under now former Prime Minister Sharma Oli’s coalition government. Critics argued the move violated constitutional rights and international human rights covenants. For the young people, it represented an attack on their primary means of staying informed and organizing globally.
Oli on Sept. 9 resigned following widespread protests. Protesters in the aftermath organized a cleanup campaign, symbolizing their commitment to restoring civic order and accountability.
Protests ‘will be good for everyone’
Speaking to the Washington Blade, Honey Maharjan, an LGBTQ activist and member of the People’s Socialist Party–Nepal, described the Gen Z-led protest as one of the most successful demonstrations in Nepal’s recent history.
“Of course LGBTQ people also joined the Gen Z protest, our friend also joined the protest,” said Maharjan. “I am very sad. I also cried for the young boys who got killed by the police. My two sons also cried. They couldn’t sleep because of this protest. At night my son asked me what’s going on? I said wait and you will see, I think it will be good for everyone. It will change everything.”
Maharjan told the Blade that she and the LGBTQ community were elated when they learned of Oli’s resignation and the subsequent departure of other ministers. She added the announcement that Sushila Karki would be the new prime minister further strengthened their sense of hope and accomplishment.
“I hope she doesn’t disappoint us,” said Maharjan in a telephone interview with the Blade. “The rights enshrined in the constitution are equal for everyone including the LGBTQ community. Nepal is a peaceful country and a land of Buddha, so we wish peace for everyone.”
Karki in her inaugural address pledged to restore democratic governance and address the root causes of the recent unrest. She announced that elections will take place on March 5, 2026, with preparations already underway in coordination with the Election Commission.
Karki emphasized the government’s readiness to organize a transparent and inclusive electoral process. She also committed to establishing an anti-corruption committee and an investigative panel to probe the violence during the protests.
The protests in Nepal ultimately claimed 74 lives and left more than 2,000 people injured, making it the deadliest civil unrest the country has seen in decades.
The National LGBT Media Association represents 13 legacy publications in major markets across the country with a collective readership of more than 400K in print and more than 1 million + online. Learn more here: NationalLGBTMediaAssociation.com.
