https://hrf.org/latest/youthquake-youth-led-movements-shaking-up-east-an...
NEW YORK (Aug. 14, 2025) — The Human Rights Foundation (HRF) has released a new report highlighting how youth across Hong Kong, Thailand, Burma, and the Uyghur and Tibetan diasporas have led large-scale, transnational movements for democracy, freedom, and justice. The report also explores how authoritarian regimes have responded with increased surveillance, censorship, and criminalization of peaceful dissent.
From Hong Kong’s use of Pepe the Frog to Thailand’s Harry Potter-themed protests and Burma’s three-finger salute, young activists have leveraged pop culture to amplify their calls for democratic change. As digital natives, they have also turned to memes, hashtags, and emojis to organize, communicate, and circumvent state censorship online.
The report features first-hand accounts from youth activists on the front lines of resistance.
In recent years, youth1 across East and Southeast Asia, and around the world, have spearheaded the demand for democracy, justice, and freedom. They have breathed new life into the struggle for democracy and employed innovative strategies that are unique to their generation.
This report examines youth-led movements across East and Southeast Asia, including those within diaspora communities. The study covers the period between the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in December 2019 to 2023, when a significant uptick in youth-led movements was documented throughout the region. Despite the challenges posed by the pandemic and crackdowns by authoritarian regimes, these movements have continued to evolve and proliferate.
