(Photo: BBC / Reuters) 

The Building and Wood Workers' International (BWI) stands in solidarity with the people of Nepal, including its workers, youth, and trade unionists, who have courageously taken to the streets to demand accountability, good governance, and an end to the systemic and rampant corruption of the country's elite.

We vehemently condemn the lethal force used against the protesters, leading to at least 19 fatalities and hundreds of injuries. No citizen, armed only with their democratic right to dissent, should ever be met with bullets, batons, or the heavy hand of state violence.

The resignation of Prime Minister KP Oli Sharma is a testament to the power of the working people, especially the youth, who overcame state violence and oppression, including a social media blackout that tried to silence their voices. However, accountability cannot stop with political resignations. For far too long, the workers in Nepal, trapped in precarious work, earning meager wages and unsafe working conditions, simply cannot continue to pay for political leaders sustained by large-scale corruption and entitlement. The anger and outrage of the Gen Z youth is not lost on their working-class parents and families, who have struggled to find decent jobs, economic opportunities, and needed public services.

BWI is keenly aware of the misery and pain felt by those who have endured systemic oppression, widespread corruption, and state neglect, yet we also urge all actors not to let senseless violence besmirch the enormous goodwill associated with the Gen Z protests, which today represent hope and democratic renewal for Nepal.

BWI and its affiliates in Nepal recognise that there is no real democracy without workers' voices. As Nepal’s Gen Z youth fight for a future free of corruption, workers also demand a future based on dignity and justice. These struggles are inseparable. BWI calls on trade unions and civil society to work towards a peaceful and constitutional resolution to the crisis, alongside far-reaching political and economic reforms that secure decent jobs, safeguard workers’ rights, and uphold democratic, transparent, and participatory governance. We likewise urge the international community to stand with the people of Nepal in defending human rights, freedom of expression, and the rights of the working people.

The message is clear: The people of Nepal will not be silenced. They will not accept oppression, corruption, or indifference. BWI stands with them as they fight for democracy, justice, and decent work.