From its earliest days in the 1980s NDI recognized that throughout the world young people were driving forces in democracy movements. From the Philippines’ People Power Revolution to Czechoslovakia's Velvet Revolution, from South Africa’s struggle to end apartheid to student protests against Panama's dictator nullifying elections, young people played key roles in autocracy yielding to democracy. NDI also recognized that young people were not politically monolithic nor necessarily politically active and that significant barriers excluded them, even within democratic structures.

For political systems to be representative, all parts of society must be included. When young people are disenfranchised or disengaged from political processes, a significant portion of the population has little or no voice or influence in decisions that directly affect their lives. As a result, young people are increasingly getting frustrated and turning away from formal political participation.

At a November 10-12 consensus-building session organized by NDI and the European Parliament, Ukrainian parliamentary leaders agreed to take new steps to strengthen the rights of the political opposition and hold elections only after the war, when they can be held in competitive conditions and under the current election law. These pacts, by government and opposition, demonstrated a unified commitment to practically applying democratic practices in a prolonged wartime environment.