Observing the protests, it is clear that Generation Z is actively demanding changes in politics. In some cases, participants in the demonstrations used symbols from Japanese anime, depicting rebellious outcasts fighting against corrupt regimes.
While more affluent regions of the world discuss the implications of an aging population for the labor market, pension systems, and healthcare, countries with a growing number of young people, primarily in Africa, face the challenge of a lack of economic opportunities and political freedom for their ambitious citizens.
Generation Z, born between 1997 and 2012, will celebrate birthdays this year ranging from 14 to 29 years old, making them active participants in political life.
According to data from the British research organization Our World in Data, in about 80 countries with a total population of around 2.5 billion people, the average age is 29 years or younger, indicating the predominance of Generation Z in these countries.
Among these countries are Uzbekistan (average age 29 years), Ecuador (28 years), and the Philippines (26 years), as well as most African countries. The "youngest" are Uganda (16 years) and Niger (15 years), while in four African countries—Mauritius, Seychelles, Tunisia, and Morocco—the average age exceeds 29 years.
Generation Z is the first generation to grow up in the digital age, possessing unique access to information about the shortcomings of their governments and lifestyles available in more developed economies and among their elites.
Whether in the USA, France, Germany, or in less affluent regions like the Sahel, members of Generation Z are increasingly turning to issues that were previously considered political periphery.
