Nepal’s Telecommunications Authority at midnight on Sept. 4 blocked 26 social media platforms — including X, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram. The move ignited growing discontent among Generation Z, many of whom are in their teens and 20s, over government corruption. What began as a peaceful protest led largely by young people, including members of the LGBTQ community, soon turned violent and ultimately forced the prime minister to resign.

The government said the platforms failed to register within a seven-day deadline under new regulations intended to curb fake news, hate speech, and online fraud. Only five companies complied, prompting a blanket shutdown that disrupted communication for nearly 90 percent of Nepal’s 30 million internet users, many of whom depend on these apps for news, business, education, and contact with relatives working abroad.

The ban backfired almost immediately. 

Many Nepalese youth, already angered by viral TikTok videos exposing the lavish lifestyles of politicians’ children, viewed it as a blatant attempt to silence anti-corruption discourse. Between Sept. 7 and 8, small gatherings began in Kathmandu’s Maitighar Mandala and New Baneshwor areas near parliament. Thousands of young citizens, including members of the LGBTQ community, chanted slogans such as “Stop the ban on social media, stop corruption, not social media” and “Youth Against Corruption.” 

By Sept. 8, the crowds had swelled into the tens of thousands, with protesters defying police lines and storming parliament gates. Violence erupted when security forces responded with tear gas, water cannons, rubber bullets and live ammunition, killing at least 19 protesters — including a 12-year-old — and injuring more than 300 in Kathmandu, the Nepalese capital, alone. Two additional deaths were reported in Itahari, a city in eastern Nepal.

Protesters retaliated by hurling stones and scaling barriers, plunging the demonstrations into chaos. Authorities imposed curfews across several districts, but young people defied the orders, ferrying the injured on motorcycles and continuing their marches.

While politicians and their families flaunted luxury abroad — from designer bags to exotic vacations — ordinary Nepalese struggled with a per capita annual income of just $1,300. LGBTQ and intersex Nepalese face additional barriers, including discrimination in employment and education that contribute to lower economic outcomes compared to the general population.

Nepal’s sluggish development has forced millions to seek work abroad, straining families and fueling a persistent brain drain. Gen Z, facing limited opportunities, rising prices and the disruption of online education due to the social media ban, felt betrayed by unfulfilled electoral promises. 

Human Rights Watch notes that while Nepal legally recognizes transgender people as a third gender, many have been denied identity documents. A small number have managed to change their documents from “male” to “female,” but the process typically requires an invasive and humiliating physical exam in a medical setting — a practice widely criticized as a human rights violation.

The social media ban was widely seen as an attempt to suppress dissent, reflecting broader concerns about government overreach under now former Prime Minister Sharma Oli’s coalition government. Critics argued the move violated constitutional rights and international human rights covenants. For the young people, it represented an attack on their primary means of staying informed and organizing globally.

Oli on Sept. 9 resigned following widespread protests. Protesters in the aftermath organized a cleanup campaign, symbolizing their commitment to restoring civic order and accountability.

Protests ‘will be good for everyone’

Speaking to the Washington Blade, Honey Maharjan, an LGBTQ activist and member of the People’s Socialist Party–Nepal, described the Gen Z-led protest as one of the most successful demonstrations in Nepal’s recent history.

“Of course LGBTQ people also joined the Gen Z protest, our friend also joined the protest,” said Maharjan. “I am very sad. I also cried for the young boys who got killed by the police. My two sons also cried. They couldn’t sleep because of this protest. At night my son asked me what’s going on? I said wait and you will see, I think it will be good for everyone. It will change everything.”

Maharjan told the Blade that she and the LGBTQ community were elated when they learned of Oli’s resignation and the subsequent departure of other ministers. She added the announcement that Sushila Karki would be the new prime minister further strengthened their sense of hope and accomplishment.

“I hope she doesn’t disappoint us,” said Maharjan in a telephone interview with the Blade. “The rights enshrined in the constitution are equal for everyone including the LGBTQ community. Nepal is a peaceful country and a land of Buddha, so we wish peace for everyone.”

Karki in her inaugural address pledged to restore democratic governance and address the root causes of the recent unrest. She announced that elections will take place on March 5, 2026, with preparations already underway in coordination with the Election Commission.

Karki emphasized the government’s readiness to organize a transparent and inclusive electoral process. She also committed to establishing an anti-corruption committee and an investigative panel to probe the violence during the protests.

The protests in Nepal ultimately claimed 74 lives and left more than 2,000 people injured, making it the deadliest civil unrest the country has seen in decades.

APCOM and the Asian Development Bank hosted the 3rd Asian Development Bank Learning Week in the Philippine capital of Manila from Sept. 8-9.

The meeting brought together LGBTQ and intersex activists, civil society organizations, and human rights defenders from Asia and the Pacific to engage with bank management on development that is LGBTQ and intersex-inclusive. The ASEAN SOGIE Caucus, ILGA Asia, Intersex Asia, and the Pacific Sexual and Gender Diversity Network co-organized the event.

The bank’s presence and collaboration, however, was noticeably absent.

Although invitations had been extended and initially accepted, all bank staff who were scheduled to speak at the sessions — including representatives from the ADB NGO and Civil Society Center — withdrew at the last minute.

“It’s really unfortunate that we have this situation, but we understand if there is some trepidation to engage with the LGBTQI community given the changing geopolitical context and a dismaying pushback on rights across the spectrum. The LGBTQI community will continue its advocacy to demand accountability from the ADB to include us in its quest for a prosperous, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable Asia and the Pacific. That promise should include the LGBTQI community,” said Bambang Prayudi, executive director of Perkumpulan Suara Kita, an LGBTQ rights organization based in Indonesia. “The lessons of the past have clearly demonstrated that exclusion ultimately undermines and harms individuals, communities, and entire nations both socially and economically.”

The activists shifted from the originally planned sessions with ADB staff to engaging directly with bank board members, voicing concerns the withdrawal reflected a backtracking by an institution that had increasingly been progressive on LGBTQ and intersex-inclusion and engagement with LGBTQ and intersex communities. The move also raised questions about the bank’s commitment to its Strategy 2030, which aims to sustain efforts to eradicate extreme poverty and promote an inclusive Asia and Pacific.

APCOM, however, highlighted the bank last year approved a new Environmental and Social Framework that, for the first time, explicitly includes sexual orientation and gender identity in its definition of disadvantaged and vulnerable groups. The policy is scheduled to take effect on Jan. 1, with rollout efforts underway, including capacity-building for bank management and staff.

APCOM noted that while the move represents a significant step forward for the bank, its true impact will depend on consistent implementation and sustained, genuine engagement with the LGBTQ and intersex community.

Activists said bank management in December 2024 approved the Operational Approach to Sexual and Gender Minorities Inclusion: A Roadmap for 2025–2030, aimed at creating an environment in which people of diverse sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression and sex characteristics are not only accepted but fully empowered. APCOM noted in a press release the bank has since removed the document from its website without explanation.

The press release said the sudden removal has left many LGBTQ and intersex activists uncertain about next steps because they were not consulted. The website removal raises questions about how firmly the bank will carry its commitment forward.

APCOM said activists met with several bank board members and requested the ADB return the document to its website. The press release also highlighted disappointment the bank this year did not commemorate the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia — the ADB has marked IDAHOBiT since 2019.

“ADB needs to have continued dialogue with the LGBTQI community and hold regular meetings with us if it seeks to implement policies that claim to benefit us,” said APCOM Executive Director Midnight Poonkasetwattana. “They have to remember: Nothing about us, without us. They cannot enact SOGIESC-inclusive policies without involving the LGBTQI community.”

LGBTQ and intersex activists who traveled to Manila, meanwhile, are urging the bank to uphold accountability in its stated commitments.

“More than policies on paper, our constituencies seek meaningful inclusion — to be consulted, engaged, and heard in the design, implementation, and monitoring of initiatives that affect their lives,” said Poonkasetwattana. “We sincerely hope ADB, whose policies are so crucial in setting an example for its member states and other stakeholders to follow, will stand strong in these challenging times and uphold principles of equality and social justice for all.”

The Washington Blade in 2022 reported then-Ambassador Chantale Wong, who was the ADB’s U.S. director during the Biden-Harris administration, pushed for sexual orientation and gender identity to be included in the bank’s safeguards.

The bank, which is based in the Philippines, seeks to promote economic and social development across Asia and the Pacific. Wong was the first openly lesbian U.S. ambassador in the U.S.

The U.N. earlier this year urged Mongolia to bolster protections for LGBTQ and intersex people, warning that entrenched discrimination and gaps in legal recognition continue to undermine recent progress. 

In its Concluding Observations on the Fifth Periodic Report of Mongolia, the U.N. Human Rights Committee cited unreported attacks, bias in law enforcement, and the absence of rights for same-sex couples as barriers to equality in the country.

Mongolia has made measurable strides toward LGBTQ inclusion: decriminalizing consensual same-sex sexual relations, and outlawing discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in its labor and criminal codes. Hate crime provisions allow for tougher penalties, and transgender people can amend legal documents to reflect their gender, though only after medical intervention. Mongolian law, however, stops short of recognizing same-sex marriages or civil unions, offers no status for nonbinary people, and provides limited protection for queer parents, leaving much of the community without full legal equality.

The Human Rights Committee also faulted Mongolia for the weak enforcement of its broader anti-discrimination framework, noting that few complaints reach the courts and prosecutions remain rare — a gap that limits remedies for LGBTQ people, despite legal protections on paper. The committee urged the government to widen the definition of discrimination, ease the burden of proof for victims, and raise public awareness about how to seek redress, alongside strengthening the reach and diversity of its National Human Rights Commission.

The U.N. Human Rights Committee has urged Mongolia to adopt sweeping anti-discrimination laws that protect people from bias in both public and private life, specifically including sexual orientation and gender identity. It also called for strong legal remedies and recommended that judges, prosecutors, and law enforcement officials receive proper training on discrimination, alongside broader efforts to raise public awareness about how victims can seek justice.

The report also called on Mongolia to intensify efforts to combat stereotypes and prejudice against LGBTQ and intersex people. It urged authorities to ensure that acts of discrimination and violence targeting them are thoroughly investigated, that perpetrators are prosecuted and, if convicted, receive appropriate penalties, and that victims are granted full reparations. 

The committee further recommended guaranteeing freedom of peaceful assembly for LGBTQ and intersex people, including during the annual Equality Walk at Chinggis Square in Ulaanbaatar, the Mongolian capital, ensuring that any restrictions are applied fairly and in line with international standards. The report also highlighted the need for legislation that recognizes and protects same-sex couples. 

The U.N. report also raised alarms over restrictions on peaceful assembly in Mongolia, citing accounts that authorities have curtailed demonstrations critical of the government as well as gatherings in support of LGBTQ and intersex rights. While acknowledging a draft revision of the 1994 law on demonstrations and assembly that would shift to a notification system, the committee warned a proposed requirement for police authorization to use main roads could undermine those reforms. It further expressed concern about reports of disproportionate force and arbitrary detentions during protests, and about a pending bill to amend the Criminal Code to impose prison sentences on those obstructing mining or other development projects, which could erode protections for the right to peaceful assembly.

Authorities on Dec. 4, 2024, arrested Naran Unurtsetseg, editor-in-chief of Zarig.mn, an independent news site, and held her for 68 days on charges that included contempt of court and spreading false information after she criticized judges and a prosecutor online. The arrest took place weeks after the General Judiciary Council urged an investigation into her remarks, and the site was briefly blocked ahead of her detention. The case has drawn sharp criticism from press freedom groups over the misuse of criminal defamation laws to stifle critical journalism in Mongolia. 

Erdeneburen Dorjpurev, deputy director of the LGBT Center in Mongolia, told the Washington Blade that in recent years her organization has handled several cases in which police officers themselves perpetrated prejudice, discrimination, abuse and harassment against LGBTQ people. 

“These cases often make up around 30 percent of our referrals,” Dorjpurev noted. 

She cited a 2022 incident in which officers allegedly forced their way into a gay couple’s home without a warrant, physically assaulted and verbally abused them, and mocked their sexual orientation. Dorjpurev said the officers also demanded access to the couple’s personal devices and, after obtaining it, circulated intimate videos among themselves and to others, deliberately humiliating the pair because of their identity.

“The survivor of this incident refrained from reporting this incident due to a fear of further harassment and abuse from the police,” Dorjpurev told the Blade. “The police officers in this incident, deliberately treated the couple with hostility, using derogatory terms in referring to their sexual and gender orientation. The police abused the position and power to humiliate the survivors by treating them inhumanely due to their own prejudice and discrimination against the LGBTQI+ community.”

Dorjpurev said the U.N. Human Rights Committee report underscored persistent mistreatment of LGBTQ people in Mongolia by police and healthcare providers. She noted incidents of discrimination and inhumane treatment “are still not being taken seriously and are often refused as official complaints,” leaving victims with little recourse. Dorjpurev added her organization urged authorities to expand scrutiny of human rights conditions for LGBTQ people in detention facilities, prisons, military bases, and other closed institutions, stressing the need to ensure those spaces are safe for sexual and gender minorities.

“While the Criminal Code includes provisions that sanction discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, we still lack the proper tools to protect and support individuals. Even today, we still struggle in safe reporting, file complaints against any discriminatory acts,” Dorjpurev told the Blade. “This is due to the fact that individuals are still refused service from state services, still treated unfairly as well as still face harassment and discrimination from service providers. There is still a culture where an individual’s private information is disclosed without their consent, especially around their sexual orientation and gender identity. Further, service providers additionally utilize derogatory terms to shame and embarrass individuals, as well as repeatedly ask unnecessary, provoking questions around their gender and sexual orientation and identity.”

Dorjpurev further noted that, given this climate, most LGBTQ people in Mongolia are reluctant to seek help from state agencies or even private service providers, fearing further mistreatment or denial of their basic rights. Legal assistance is also scarce, she said, as few lawyers or other professionals focus on human rights and anti-discrimination cases. 

Dorjpurev recalled a lawyer who collaborated with the LGBT Center on a case in 2019 faced harassment and discrimination simply for representing an LGBTQ client.

Dorjpurev highlighted that, to date, there has not been a single successfully resolved case of discrimination under Article 14.1 of the Criminal Code. 

The LGBT Center in 2019 filed a complaint against a high-ranking state official who abused his authority to remove the organization’s posters from buses during Equality and Pride Days and posted anti-LGBTQ content on social media. Dorjpurev noted prosecutors at multiple levels rejected the case, despite many complaints.

“In Mongolia, despite not following ‘Western’ conversion therapy, we have our traditional Shamanic religion as well as Buddhism which still heavily influences our society,” she said. 

“We have been referred to cases where community members have been subject to religious conversion — this mostly impacts those under the age of 18 where their parent or guardian believes they are suffering from a mental illness or other forms of health issue therefore forces them into meeting religious figures and shamans.” added Dorjpurev. “This is because the parent or the guardian often believe that they would be able to ‘pray away’ or ‘wash away’ their queer identity. These kinds of practices are often repeated on a daily basis having a severe impact on the mental wellbeing of their children; in some incidents these children are forced into having sexual intercourse with the opposite sex in order to ‘make them straight.’”

The LGBT Center in 2021 worked on the case of an gay 18-year-old who was told he would be burned with a hot stone and whipped if he did not become straight and gender conforming. Dorjpurev noted this man “was also referred to be sent to a psychiatrist where he was administered various different psyche-altering medications.”

Dorjpurev emphasized a key step for the Mongolian government is to demonstrate genuine commitment to LGBTQ and intersex rights and to transparently engage with civil society organizations. She noted that while various policies and laws have been introduced in the name of protecting LGBTQ and intersex people, these measures have largely excluded direct input from human rights defenders, limiting their effectiveness and accountability. Dorjpurev added these policies would have a stronger impact if developed in genuine consultation with civil society, ensuring concrete human rights provisions. 

The LGBT Center, the National Human Rights Commission, and the Ulaanbaatar mayor’s office in 2024 co-organized a roundtable to discuss LGBTQ and intersex rights. Dorjpurev said this collaboration made the 2024 and 2025 Equality Marches possible.

She told the Blade that such examples demonstrate the benefits of consistent engagement with NGOs to build meaningful civic space and translate Mongolia’s commitment to equality into practice.

Dorjpurev called on international organizations, particularly the U.N., to continue supporting activists through in-person advocacy, technical assistance, and by improving both physical and language accessibility. She urged the U.N. to strengthen its role in monitoring the implementation of treaty body recommendations, working closely with the Resident Coordinator’s Office, and ensuring in-country teams engage directly with NGOs. Dorjpurev stressed that national-level dialogue must be inclusive, bringing together government agencies, civil society organizations, the U.N. Development Program, UNICEF, and other relevant U.N. bodies to guarantee meaningful participation and accountability.

“International NGOs also have a critical role to play,” said Dorjpurev, who specifically praised ILGA World, ILGA Asia, COC Nederland from the Netherlands, and other NGOs. “But more INGOs need to step up to support local civil society organizations in engaging with UN mechanisms.”