Nepal crisis deepens: How social media ban stoked flames of unrest

Triggered by a clampdown on social media sites by the authorities, protests by Gen-Z ultimately led to the resignation of Nepal’s top political leadership. Nepal government’s decision to block access to social media platforms after their non-compliance to registration requirements in Nepal sparked the protests which snowballed into violence where 19 people were killed. 

 

Though the immediate spark came from the social media ban, a simmering unrest was brewing on account of rising unemployment and corruption in the country. Even after the ban on social media platforms was lifted, the protests continued, forcing Nepal’s prime minister to put in the papers.

 

Mobile ownership and social media usage in developing countries in 2024 

   

 

 

                                  Over three-fourths of Nepal’s population aged 15 and above owned a mobile phone in 2024, just behind Bangladesh among South Asian countries. Half of the people used the internet in 2024, while 88 per cent of those using the internet also accessed social media platforms. This usage of social media was the second highest, after Pakistan, in the South Asian region.

 

Age-wise unemployment, labour force participation rate in Nepal in 2022-23 

 

 

 

  Nepal’s unemployment rate rose from 11.4 per cent in 2017-18 to 12.6 per cent in 2022-23. On the other hand, Nepal’s labor force participation rate (LFPR) declined from 38.5 per cent in 2017-18 to 37.1 per cent in 2022-23. High youth unemployment of 22.7 per cent in 2022-23, for persons aged between 15 and 24, continues to plague Nepal’s economy.

 

 

                    According to the Nepal Living Standards Survey IV of 2022-23, the richest 20 percent had an annual per capita income of Nepali Rupees (NRs) 259,867, while the poorest 20 percent were at around NRs 61,335, with the average per capita income of Nepal being NRs 136,707 in 2022-23.