What is GenZ 212? Morocco's New Generation of Activists (Image Credit: x.com/@mosaaberizing)
Morocco has been experiencing a series of youth protests since September 27th. These protests are a response to the country's lavish spending on infrastructure in preparation to host the FIFA World Cup 2030. Led by Gen Z, these protests that have taken over the country demand better public services for the people of Morocco, along with the resignation of Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch. Among all the chaos, GenZ212 have been pointed to as the group behind the recent uprising in Morocco. Find out more about Gen Z 212, the group leading Morocco's youth uprising from the shadows.
GenZ 212 is an anonymous collective of the youth of Morocco, primarily consisting of teens and people in their early twenties. Their name "GenZ 212" is the combination of the word "GenZ," a term used to refer to the generation of people leading the protest, and "212," Morocco's country code.
The protests organised by GenZ 212 are a result of the youth's dissatisfaction with the decisions made by the people at the helm of affairs in Morocco. GenZ 212 has voiced its concerns over its government not paying attention to citizens' needs, instead choosing to invest money in lavish spending that does not benefit the people of Morocco, such as infrastructure for the FIFA 20230 World Cup. The group also highlights the glaring flaws in the system, which is a result of negligence from their government, including a youth unemployment rate of 35.8% and a poor healthcare system.
The unrests in Morocco demand a focus on providing better facilities for the people of Morocco, which includes a revamp of the current healthcare system, more public schools and hospitals. It also demands a reduction in unnecessary spending, such as the ones made in the preparations to host FIFA 2030. Protestors can also be heard chanting "The people want an end to corruption," demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch.
The youth collective is a new generation of activists speaking up against the government. To do so, the group has utilised new age technology such as popular digital platforms to communicate with each other. They rely on social media platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, and Discord to share plans, air grievances, or organise another meet. Reportedly, the group's Discord server surged in popularity in the past week, going from a few thousand members to over 130,000.
"GenZ 212" is the combination of the word GenZ (Generation Z), a term used to refer to the people born between 1997 and 2012, and "212", the country code of Morocco.
There is no leader of GenZ 212. It is an anonymous collective of young people of Morocco who have organised protests due to their dissatisfaction with the government.
On their website, the youth-led anonymous group has stated their dissatisfaction with the current government as the primary reason for the protest.
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