Youth-led protests from Nepal and Mexico to Iran reveal a shared crisis facing Generation Z: shrinking job opportunities, rising costs of living and deepening inequality in a globalised economy.
Once a utopian concept of interconnectedness, the “Global Village” is currently witnessing a synchronized tremor. From the high altitudes of Nepal to the bustling plazas of Mexico and the sanctioned streets of Iran, a singular demographic is driving a new wave of geopolitical volatility: Generation Z.
While specific grievances vary, a shared theme runs through many of these protests: frustration with limited job opportunities, stagnant wages and rising living costs. In an era of rapid technological change and widening global inequalities, young people believe their futures have been deferred or denied. This has fuelled a wave of discontent that connects Nepal, Mexico and Iran more closely than geographical distance would suggest.
The arithmetic of despair: When degrees don’t equal decent pay
The primary driver of the current unrest is a widening chasm between educational attainment and economic opportunity. In Nepal, the year 2025 saw massive youth-led demonstrations as the “education-employment gap” reached a breaking point. Despite a surge in literacy and college enrolment, the domestic economy has failed to produce high-value jobs, forcing thousands of young Nepalis to seek menial labour abroad. The protests in Kathmandu weren’t just about politics; they were a rejection of a system that views its youth as an export commodity rather than a national asset.
Similarly, in Mexico, Gen Z has taken to the streets to challenge structural reforms that they believe favour entrenched interests over new entrants into the workforce. For the Mexican youth, the arithmetic is simple but brutal: even in a growing economy, the informal sector remains the largest employer, offering no benefits, no security, and no future. This “stagnation in the midst of growth” has transformed traditional apathy into a potent, tech-savvy activism that has shocked the government.
The Iranian pressure cooker: Inflation vs. aspirations
Nowhere is the collision between youth aspirations and economic reality more violent than in Iran. Recent reports from early 2026 highlight a worsening crackdown on young protesters who are on the front lines of demonstrations fuelled by triple-digit inflation. In Iran, the jobs arithmetic is compounded by international isolation and domestic mismanagement.
For an Iranian Gen Zer, the cost of living is rising at a pace that renders the very idea of “starting a life”—marriage, housing or career mathematically impossible. When the state responds to these economic grievances with digital blackouts and physical force, it only solidifies the resolve of a generation that feels it has nothing left to lose. Unlike previous generations, these protesters are hyper-connected via VPNs and social media, viewing their struggle as part of a global rejection of gerontocracy and economic exclusion.
A transformation of governance: The global fallout
The Council on Foreign Relations and other analysts note that these are not “flash-in-the-pan” riots; they are transforming how governments operate. Gen Z’s unique brand of protest is decentralised, leaderless and lightning-fast. In many cases, these youth movements have successfully forced policy reversals or constitutional debates, as seen in the recent shocks to the Mexican and Nepali political establishments.
However, the “kids are not alright” because the fundamental math hasn’t changed. Global economic structures are still struggling to integrate the largest youth cohort in history during an era of AI-driven job displacement and post-pandemic debt. The global village is small enough for a protester in Tehran to see the tactics of a student in Mexico City, creating a shared vocabulary of dissent.
Until governments move beyond “crisis management” and address the structural job deficit, the arithmetic of unrest will continue to trend upward. The message from Kathmandu to Tehran is clear: a generation that cannot find a place in the economy will eventually find its place in the streets.
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