Nepal’s interim Prime Minister Sushila Karki announces her first decision since assuming power on Friday, declaring those killed during the recent Gen-Z-led protests as martyrs and promising Rs 10 lakh compensation to each victim’s family, while committing to address corruption.

Karki, a 73-year-old former chief justice, makes the pledge in her initial public address, emphasizing the need to align with the youth movement’s demands for good governance and economic equality. “We have to work according to the thinking of the Gen-Z generation... What this group is demanding is end of corruption,” she states, acknowledging the unrest that ousted former Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli.

The compensation and martyr status aim to honor the protesters, with at least 51 deaths reported during the anti-corruption demonstrations sparked by a social media ban. Karki also vows to serve no more than six months, signaling a temporary leadership role ahead of planned elections.

This decision, set against Nepal’s history of political upheaval since 2008, reflects an attempt to heal divisions and respond to the youth-driven movement that reshaped the nation’s leadership. The focus on corruption addresses a longstanding grievance fueling the protests.