About Us
Mission
We exist to protect women and children from all forms of violence and human trafficking, to prevent violence, and to promote a culture of zero tolerance toward it. We also support survivors in restoring their sense of safety, trust, and independence through comprehensive support, education, and the development of women’s leadership.
Vision
A society free from violence, where every person has the right to safety, equality, and opportunities for development.
Values
• Respect for the dignity of every person
• Safety and the principle of “do no harm”
• Equality and non-discrimination
• Ethics and confidentiality
• Responsibility and professionalism
• Support and empathy
• Financial independence and self-realization
Strategic Goals:
● Strengthening the economic independence of women in Ukraine as a tool for preventing economic violence. ● Institutionalizing the system for combating gender-based, domestic, digital, and economic violence at national and local levels. ● Raising public awareness of violence as a systemic issue and fostering zero tolerance toward it. ● Increasing women’s participation in decision-making and leadership development. ● Strengthening cross-sector collaboration (law enforcement, social services, psychologists, medical professionals) for comprehensive protection of survivors of violence and human trafficking. ● Expanding educational and partnership programs to support women in professional development, career change, and foreign language learning.
Tactical Goals:
● Providing psychological and legal assistance to women and children affected by any forms of violence. ● Organizing trainings, lectures, workshops, and public events involving cross-sector professionals and women leaders ● Creating online courses and video content to raise awareness about GBV (gender-based violence) for women and children. ● Developing and implementing educational programs for children (body boundaries, online safety, sexual education). ● Establishing inter-organizational cooperation through memorandums with other NGOs to coordinate activities, exchange experience, and improve the effectiveness of support programs for survivors of violence and human trafficking. ● Creating safe shelters in Odesa and Kyiv to provide temporary accommodation and comprehensive support for women and children affected by violence. ● Launching and supporting women’s economic empowerment programs, including a full support cycle for career change or upskilling: career counseling, individualized coaching strategies, training selection, learning support, interview preparation, job search assistance, and development of LinkedIn profiles and CVs.
Main Objectives of the Organization
● Ensuring access for women and children survivors to comprehensive psychological and legal support according to their needs. ● Developing and implementing educational initiatives aimed at building safety skills, understanding personal boundaries, and preventing violence. ● Creating and developing educational online content to increase awareness and access to knowledge in the field of violence prevention. ● Developing programs supporting women in professional realization, career transition, and increasing economic independence. ● Building partnerships and cross-sector cooperation with NGOs, government institutions, and other stakeholders. ● Forming and supporting safe communities for women and children as spaces of trust, mutual support, and recovery.
History of NGO “Soft Power”
Soft Power was founded in 2025 with the mission of protecting women and children affected by all forms of violence, while also implementing preventive measures through education, the promotion of women’s leadership, and economic empowerment.
The initiative emerged from the personal experience of the organization’s co-founder and Chairwoman, Oleksandra Mykoliuk, who survived an attempted rape. This experience became a turning point, leading not only to the processing of personal trauma but also to a deeper understanding of a broader social issue. After publicly sharing her story, hundreds of women reached out to her with similar experiences. This revealed a clear reality: nearly every woman encounters some form of violence during her lifetime. It became evident that women need not only support, but also comprehensive, long-term solutions.
The first step was the creation of a women’s community a Telegram support group called “Your Friend”- designed as a safe space where women could receive support from like-minded individuals. Over time, this initiative evolved into the NGO Soft Power, which was established as a platform combining direct psychological and legal assistance for survivors with systemic change through educational programs and advocacy.
Today, Soft Power continues to grow as an organization that combines practical support, education, and cross-sector collaboration to foster a culture of zero tolerance for violence in Ukraine, increase public safety, and create conditions for women and children to live dignified, independent, and secure lives.
