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The spate of public demonstrations against unemployment, corruption and low quality of life around the world is striking because of who is leading them. Young people have used social media platforms such as Facebook, TikTok, Instagram and YouTube to spread information and arrange their demonstrations.

While some of these protests have remained peaceful, others—such as the youth-led demonstrations in and —have become violent. in Indonesia's protests in late August, when public anger over the cost of living and social inequality police killed a delivery driver.

And 72 people were killed in Nepal, against a government social media ban in early September escalate into widespread protests over political instability, elite corruption and economic stagnation. The gen Z groups leading these protests had been hijacked by "opportunist" infiltrators.

Here are three more places where young people, apparently inspired by the youth-led movements in Indonesia and Nepal, have been demonstrating against their governments in recent weeks.

Peru

Hundreds of young people marched in the Peruvian capital, Lima, against the government's introduction of pension reforms which require young Peruvians to pay into private pension funds. These protesters were joined a week later by transport workers, who marched towards Congress in the center of Lima.

In a clash on September 29—during a protest organized by a youth collective called Generation Z—crowds threw stones and petrol bombs at the police, who responded with tear gas and rubber bullets, injuring at .

These protests came a few months after Peru's president, Dina Boluarte, doubling her salary. The move, which came despite Boluarte's historically low approval rating of only 2%, was declared "outrageous" by many observers on Peruvian social media.

Young people there are facing job insecurity and high unemployment, while many say the government is not doing enough to combat extortion by gangs, corruption and .

Reports of extortion in Peru have increased sixfold over the past five years. Figures released by Peru-based market research company in 2024 suggest around 38% of Peruvians have reported knowing about cases of extortion in their area.

The recent pension reforms added fuel to existing anger. On October 9, after weeks of calls for Boluarte's government to resign, lawmakers in Peru her from office. New elections are due to be held in April 2026.

Morocco

An anonymous collective of young people called —a reference to Morocco's international dialing code—has been at the center of protests that have spread across ten Moroccan cities since September 27.

The group has organized and coordinated demonstrations through TikTok and Instagram, as well as the gaming and streaming platform Discord. Membership of Gen Z 212 on Discord grew from fewer than 1,000 members at its launch on September 18 to by October 8.

This movement began in August after while receiving maternity care in a public hospital in Agadir, a city on Morocco's southern coast. This sparked outrage over the state of public services in the country.

World Bank statistics from 2023 suggest 7.8 doctors in Morocco for every 10,000 people—far below the 23 doctors for every 10,000 inhabitants recommended by the World Health Organization.

At the same time, Morocco is spending US$5 billion (£3.7 billion) to build the world's biggest football stadium, as part of its preparations to co-host the 2030 World Cup with Portugal and Spain. Moroccans see their government as having got its priorities wrong. Crowds have such as "We want hospitals, not football stadiums".

Police have responded to these protests by arresting hundreds of people, with clashes with protesters becoming violent in some parts of the country. Three on October 1 in what authorities described as "legitimate defense", after protesters allegedly tried to storm a police station in the village of Lqliâa, near Agadir.

Morocco's prime minister, Aziz Akhannouch, has invited Gen Z 212 to with his government, and the group has shared a list of demands focused on basic needs such as education, healthcare, housing, transportation and jobs. However, the protest movement has continued.

Madagascar

At least 22 people were killed and more than 100 injured in anti-government protests across Madagascar in the first week of October. These protests were coordinated by an online movement known as —although labor unions, civil society organizations and several politicians became involved once the protests began.

The movement was sparked by the arrest of two Malagasy politicians, Clémence Raharinirina and Baba Faniry Rakotoarisoa, on September 19. Both politicians for citizens to stage peaceful demonstrations in the capital, Antananarivo, against water and power supply problems on the island.

The demonstrations focused initially on shortages of basic necessities, an electricity crisis, unemployment and corruption. But they soon for the Malagasy president, Andry Rajoelina, to resign. Protesters have held him responsible for the problems facing their country.

Rajoelina attempted to satisfy the protesters by and calling for "national dialog" with Gen Z Mada. In a speech on state broadcaster Televiziona Malagasy, he said, "We acknowledge and apologize if members of the government have not carried out the tasks assigned to them."

However, this move did not stop the demonstrations. Rajoelina subsequently Ruphin Fortunat Zafisambo, an army general, as his prime minister and imposed a strict curfew in Antananarivo, with a heavy presence of security forces, in a bid to end the protests.

The protesters have vowed to continue their struggle and, at time of writing, some are still waving flags with the words "Rajoelina out". Rajoelina has now after factions of the army rallied behind the protesters.

In leading the fight against inequality, young people in developing countries are following a well-trodden path. Youth-led protests in and have both toppled governments in recent years. These movements seem to have encouraged others across the globe to empower themselves and demand more from entrenched elites.

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