Signals from the Streets: What Youth Uprisings Are Telling Us About Democracy

'Signals from the Streets: What Youth Uprisings Are Telling Us About Democracy' is a regional discussion convened by the Asia Democracy Network, to be held online via Zoom on Thursday, 9 April 2026 (TBC), at 3:00 PM IST (4:30 PM Bangkok time). The session builds on a pivotal moment across Asia in 2025, when youth-led movements in countries such as Bangladesh, Nepal, Indonesia, Mongolia, and the Philippines emerged as powerful forces shaping democratic discourse. These mobilizations, while rooted in diverse political contexts, reflected a shared reality: young people are not disengaged from democracy, but are increasingly resistant to systems that fail to respond to their aspirations and concerns.

The discussion draws from the report Signals from the Streets: Civic Resistance and Democratic Trajectories in Asia, which examines five country cases to understand how youth mobilization unfolded, how states responded, and what outcomes followed. Bringing together contributors and regional experts, the session will explore how youth activism is reshaping democratic participation, why political openings often fall short of structural transformation, and what these movements signal for the future of civil society. Featuring speakers including Dr. Rajesh Tandon and moderated by Sabra Zahid, the session will adopt a conversational format, highlighting key trajectories of breakdown, breakthrough, and containment, as well as opportunities for audience engagement.