The National Democratic Institute (NDI) is a nonprofit organization helping people around the world build more democratic societies. Responding to requests for assistance, NDI’s international network of experts and practitioners provides tools to strengthen political and civic organizations, safeguard elections and promote citizen participation, openness and accountability in government. 

Founded and headquartered in the United States, with field offices in all regions of the world, NDI is part of a global community of people and institutions dedicated to helping strengthen democracy. Since its establishment in 1983, NDI has conducted programs in more than 110 countries and regions around the world.

NDI seeks to provide support for those forces in non-democratic societies that are seeking to promote peaceful political reform, often at great personal risk. In newly developing democracies, NDI assists governments, parliaments, political parties and civil society that are finding ways to work cooperatively to construct and consolidate their nascent democratic institutions.

NDI works with people who seek peacefully to build more democratic societies, regardless of their political affiliation. Our work focuses on helping all people participate in political institutions and processes, not to help any particular party win electoral campaigns. 

Our staff and experts come from more than 60 countries, offering experience in many different political systems and cultures.  We draw on a variety of political and governmental systems from around the world and receive support from a wide variety of international donors.

The past half-century provides ample proof that democracy is more than just another form of government; it is also a powerful generator of international security, prosperity and peace.
— Madeleine K. Albright, NDI Chairman

Our Values

We believe that democratic institutions and processes can help people in any society resolve conflicts peacefully and improve their lives.

Democratic societies guarantee all citizens the right and opportunity to choose their leaders, participate in their government, and engage in a free exchange of ideas.  Democracy must be built from within each society, consistent with internationally recognized principles.

Over the long term, helping people build more democratic societies will contribute to greater peace and stability throughout the world.

Volunteer Network

Democracy building programs are most successful when they involve experts both from the U.S. and from other countries. As a practical matter, people attempting to make the transition to democracy require and request diverse experiences and skills. This multinational approach reinforces the message that there is no single democratic model, although certain core principles are shared by all democracies.

NDI's principal resource is people. Over 20 years, more than a thousand individuals from over 70 countries with proven experience in the practice of building democratic institutions have participated in our programs to share experiences and to impart skills.

Political Party Development

Stable democracy requires the development of strong, inclusive and well-organized political parties. Parties must expand their organizational capacity to combat apathy and to inspire participation. If political parties fail to fulfill their special role in society, citizens may lose faith in the governing process itself. Political parties that effectively debate public policy issues and that are representative and accountable will contribute to democratic society. NDI works with parties from across the democratic political spectrum, assisting them in the nuts and bolts of politics—from communication within the party, and democratic selection of candidates and party leaders to issues research, polling, message development and public outreach.

 Citizen Participation

Because the citizen is the heart of a functioning democracy, NDI conducts programs to increase informed citizen participation in political processes and to establish strong civic cultures. Citizens give life and meaning to principles and institutions. For democracy to develop and endure, citizens need to exercise their rights and responsibilities. Without the active involvement of citizens in political life, government power can be abused and the basic rights and freedoms of democracy can go unrealized.  NDI works with civic groups as a means to provide citizens greater access to the political process, and to fight corruption and, promote transparency and accountability in government.

 Election Processes

While elections do not equal democracy, they are a critical vehicle through which the people of a country express their political will and choose their leaders. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights and every other major international human rights instrument recognize genuine elections as the basis for the authority of government.  Elections are also an essential process of democratic governance, providing an opportunity to promote and protect the exercise of other rights and freedoms.

Elections must be open and democratic if people are to have confidence in the political system. Political parties and governments have asked NDI to study the electoral codes of their countries and to recommend improvements. The Institute has provided technical assistance for political parties and civic groups to conduct voter and civic education campaigns. NDI has assisted in the development and training of nonpartisan election monitoring organizations in more than 52 countries around the globe. The Institute has also organized more than 50 international observer delegations that have attested to the honesty of electoral procedures, helped deter electoral misconduct or exposed fraud.

 Democratic Governance

It is through improved governance that the benefits of democratic development most directly impact the lives of citizens. Effective democratic governance depends on professional, accountable and responsive national and local governing bodies. NDI's programs support the professional development of legislatures and other governing bodies, encourage greater public participation in the legislative process, address corruption, and promote the principles of transparency and accountability in national policymaking. Lawmakers examine practical information on parliamentary organization, including legislative oversight, internal rules of procedure, public access to information, effective utilization of parliamentary staff, and the role of political party caucuses. NDI programs promote greater citizen participation in legislative decision making by encouraging public hearings, town hall meetings, and increased communication between elected officials and their constituents. NDI also supports constitutional reform by providing technical expertise and comparative information on constitutional reform processes and works with national political leaders to help develop decentralization policies that will foster strong local government structures.

Women's Participation

NDI is committed to promoting the equitable participation of women in politics and government. Comprising over 50 percent of the world's population, women continue to be under-represented as voters, political leaders and as elected officials Support for increased participation of women in political and civic leadership is consistent with NDI's mandate to strengthen the inclusive nature and representative character of democratic institutions worldwide. The participation of women is an essential element in the design and implementation of all NDI programs.

NDI helps women acquire the tools to engage in the political process. NDI programs help create an environment in which women can advocate on matters of policy, run for political office, be elected, govern effectively, and participate meaningfully in every facet of civic and political life.