NepoKids: The message is clear, hashtag that destroyed Nepal

What began as a social media hashtag has ignited a powerful youth movement in Nepal.

The term #NepoKids started trending as young Nepalis voiced frustration over the growing divide between the political elite and the average citizen.

The hashtag calls out the privileged lifestyles of politicians' children, from designer brands and foreign degrees to private jets, in stark contrast to the struggles faced by ordinary youth dealing with unemployment, inequality, and mass migration in search of better opportunities.

The discontent soon spilled from digital platforms onto the streets.

Frustrated and tired of being ignored, Gen Z protesters mobilised not just against the social media ban, but to demand systemic change, calling for an end to corruption, nepotism, and entrenched elite privilege.

Social media is flooded with posts on how the youth is struggling amid rising joblessness and is increasingly drawn into divisive religious and political narratives, while the children of the elite, the “Nepokids”, continue to climb the ladder of success, often without merit.

The contrast is sparking public anger and a wave of youth-led protests, demanding accountability, transparency, and equal opportunities for all, not just for those born into privilege.