Economic embers had a role in Nepal's eruption

This week's turmoil in Nepal may have been sparked off by its ban on social media but the frustration of the country's youth has a deeper economic cause—notably, jobless growth

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The distressing turn of events in Nepal, with youth at the forefront of violent unrest on the streets of Kathmandu, is not the result of any one factor. Even if a ban on social media can be identified as its proximate cause, with such bans widely seen to violate civil rights, it is the outcome of a complex web of factors. The vehemence on display made that clear. One powerful reason, among others, is the failure of its economy to keep pace with the aspirations of its people, especially the young. Hence the term 'Gen Z' protests. Nepal not only depends heavily on remittances from elsewhere, for a country with one of the lowest per capita incomes in the world, it has a high level of unemployment, with the youth worst afflicted. Discontent in Nepal demonstrates the perils of a pressing national issue going unaddressed—such as a scarcity of quality jobs.