Democracy Declines: Hope for Gen Z Civic Freedoms
Here’s a breakdown of the key information from the provided text:
Main Argument:
Despite a generally grim year for democracy and civic freedoms globally, there is hope stemming from growing democratic dissent, notably among Generation Z. While the majority of the world’s population lives under restricted civic freedoms, people continue to demand them, and breakthroughs are possible.
Examples of Recent activism/Events (as of December 24, 2025):
* Nepal: Protests over a social media ban led to the government’s fall, potentially opening the door for positive political change.
* kenya: Young protesters are actively demanding political reform despite facing state violence.
* Moldova: A disinformation campaign funded by an oligarch failed to alter the outcome of the national election, which favored human rights values.
* USA: The “No-Kings” protests, defending First Amendment rights, are rapidly growing, with over seven million participants.
Key statistics:
* Over 90% of the world’s population lives with the institutional denial of full civic freedoms.
Author & Source:
* Author: Mandeep S Tiwana, Secretary general of CIVICUS (a global civil society alliance).
* Source: Inter Press Service (IPS) - originally published December 24, 2025.
* Website: globalissues.org (where this article is being presented)