Young people are taking to the streets en masse in cities around the world in an effort to fight against perceived government corruption, staging contentious protests that have sparked violent clashes with authorities and, at times, turned deadly.Spanning countries in Africa, Asia, and South America in recent weeks, the so-called “Gen Z” protests have been motivated by a variety of grievances directed at government leadership, from severe shortages of water and power in Madagascar to limited access to education and healthcare in Morocco to corruption scandals in Nepal and Peru.[time-brightcove not-tgx=”true”]Within the past month, the demonstrations have toppled one country’s government and contributed to the dissolution of another, as well as resulting in hundreds of arrests and injuries and dozens of deaths.Similar demonstrations have taken place in Kenya, Indonesia, and the Philippines in recent months, underlining a new generation of young adults’ growing influence in public life around the world. Here’s how the recent youth-led protests have played out so far, and the impacts we are already seeing.MoroccoAnti-government protests fueled by anger over Morocco pouring money into preparations for the 2030 World Cup instead of public services have raged in the country for nearly a week.The demonstrations, which entered their sixth day on Thursday, have resulted in three deaths. Police opened fire at protesters in Leqliaa, a town near the country’s central coast, in what authorities later described as an act of “legitimate self-defense” to prevent protestors from storming a police building and seizing weapons. The incident resulted in two deaths, according to the police statement. Further details were not given on the third fatality. A group called “Gen Z 212,” a reference to the country’s telephone code, launched the protest movement last weekend with social media posts demanding better schooling and healthcare. Beginning in Rabat, the capital, and Casablanca, the demonstrations have spread across several cities. “Stadiums are here, but where are the hospitals?” was one of the chants yelled by the protesters.More than 400 people have been arrested during the protests, according to Rachid El Khalfi, a spokesperson for the Moroccan interior ministry. Meanwhile, 260 police officers and 20 protestors have been injured, and 40 police vehicles and 20 private cars have been set ablaze, Khalfi said.Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch announced that he was ready for “dialogue and discussion within institutions and public spaces” in a televised address on Thursday, but protestors have demanded he step down. The protests come as more than a third of young people in Morocco under the age of 25 are unemployed, according to the country’s statistics agency. Similar protests occurred in Brazil over steep living costs and poor healthcare and education ahead of the country hosting the 2014 World Cup tournament.MadagascarMadagascar President Andry Rajoelina dissolved his government on Monday following youth-led protests over water and power access that have resulted in at least 22 deaths and over 100 injuries, according to the United Nations.“We acknowledge and apologise if members of the government have not carried out the tasks assigned to them,” Rajoelina said in a state broadcast, expressing his desire to have dialogue with young people. “I understand the anger, the sadness, and the difficulties caused by power cuts and water supply problems. I heard the call, I felt the suffering, I understood the impact on daily life.”Demonstrators, however, have demanded Rajoelina’s abdication and for the termination of the election commission and the country’s top court.Organizers suspended protests in the capital, Antananarivo, on Thursday, citing concerns over the health of demonstrators, while other parts of the country have carried on the anti-government movement.Hundreds marched in Toliara, south of the capital, calling for Rajoelina to step down, while in Diego Suarez, north of the capital, similar protests continued. “This is not a retreat but a strategy: we will come back together more united, stronger,” Gen Z Madagascar, the youth movement’s page, said in a Facebook post about the temporary suspension of activity in Antananarivo.The country’s ministry of foreign affairs has rejected the casualty numbers from the U.N., claiming the figures were based on “rumors and misinformation.” Urban poverty is a key issue in Madagascar, with a reported 75% of the country’s residents affected by poverty as of 2022.PeruProtestors clashed with police in Lima, the Peruvian capital, over the weekend as young demonstrators, joined by bus and taxi drivers, marched over growing economic insecurity.The protests began on Sept. 20, following the passage of a reform measure that will require young people to pay into a private pension fund. Taxi and bus drivers, meanwhile, say gangs are extorting them for money and that the government is not doing enough to intervene. Accusations of corruption, economic insecurity, and crime have also contributed to fierce government opposition and mass demonstrations. Some placards held by protesters read, “We demand a life without fear.”Many Peruvians have called for President Dina Boluarte, whose approval ratings have been in the single digits for months, to leave office. Boluarte faced fierce opposition in 2022, shortly after assuming the presidency, when 10 people were reportedly killed during anti-government protests after former President Pedro Castillo was impeached for rebellion following his attempt to oust Congress and rule by decree. Boluarte, vice president at the time, was quickly sworn in, while dozens died in protests that followed in southern Peru.A report from the Institute of Peruvian Studies over the summer showed Boluarte’s approval rating was at 2.5% and Congress’ at 3%.NepalAfter youth-led protests against corruption and a ban on major social-media platforms toppled Nepal’s government in early September, the leader of the demonstrations announced last week that he will run in the country’s March general elections. In an interview with Al Jazeera, Sudan Gurung said he will create a “movement for change” and build a people’s government, rather than a traditional political party.Nepal’s Prime Minister, Sharma Oli, resigned from his position after the anti-corruption protests erupted across the country, leaving at least 72 people dead and hundreds wounded, most of them in the capital of Kathmandu.The protests were ignited after a social media ban blocked 26 platforms for users in Nepal. In the following days, thousands of demonstrators took to the streets and the parliament building in Kathmandu was set on fire, along with the homes of high-ranking politicians. Read more: What Authoritarians May Learn About Censorship From Nepal’s ProtestsA vast majority of the Nepalese public disapproved of government conduct, with 84% of the population believing corruption is a big problem as of 2020, according to corruption watchdog Transparency International.“In view of the adverse situation in the country, I have resigned effective today to facilitate the solution to the problem and to help resolve it politically in accordance with the constitution,” Oli wrote in a letter to President Ramchandra Paudel.The protests were in part fueled by anger over “Nepo Kids,” wealthy politicians’ children who flaunt their lavish lifestyle on social media, highlighting disparities in wealth between the elite and the rest of the country. Roughly 20% of people in Nepal were living below the national poverty line as of 2022, according to the World Bank.A key symbol of the protests in Nepal, along with those in other countries, is a manga flag depicting a skull and crossbones wearing a yellow hat. The symbol comes from the Japanese manga One Piece, in which pirate captain Monkey D. Luffy seeks to liberate the oppressed and fights against autocratic governments.The flag was hung on the gates of Singha Durbar palace in Nepal, which went up in flames amid the protests. PhilippinesMore than 200 people were arrested in the Philippines in late September after tens of thousands of anti-corruption protestors took to the streets over the alleged loss of billions in taxpayer dollars to flood relief projects that had not materialized. The Philippine government estimated that as much as roughly $1.85 billion has been lost in the past two years to corrupt flood projects. Greenpeace, an environmental organization, has put the number higher.The country has an average of 20 tropical storms each year, making it extremely vulnerable to natural disasters and flooding events.The protests began in July after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. revealed the details of the corruption in an annual state of the nation address and subsequently established an investigation into the allegations.