Applications are now open for the fully funded 2026 Sakharov Fellowship programme for human rights defenders from non-EU countries

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Closing Date: 15 February 2026

Applications are now open for the fully funded 2026 Sakharov Fellowship programme for human rights defenders from non-EU countries

Overview

The European Parliament’s Sakharov Fellowship offers up to 14 human rights defenders selected from non-EU countries the opportunity to follow a two-week intensive training in Brussels and at another location in an EU Member State. The empowering programme for human rights defenders has been organised annually since 2016 further to an initiative taken by the Sakharov Prize Community at the 25th Anniversary Conference of the Sakharov Prize.

Unlike the Sakharov Prize, the Sakharov Fellowship is not an award for achievements in the field of human rights. It aims at developing capacities of human rights defenders to advocate for and effect positive change to human rights.

The Sakharov Fellowship programme offers an induction to EU policies and mechanisms in support of human rights defenders and provides first-hand insight in the human rights work of the European Parliament and the EU. It includes meetings with Members of Parliament, officials of the EU institutions, and the Brussels-based human rights community. Human rights practitioners and experts will share tools for improving the work of human rights defenders in workshops on communication and advocacy, security and safety, disinformation, resilience and well-being, and documentation of human rights violations. The Fellows will also have space for individual advocacy, networking and communication activities.

The Fellows become part of Parliament’s Sakharov Community of human rights defenders. As such, they will maintain links with the work of the European Parliament and will continue liaising with EU Delegations in their respective countries. Beyond the training, they are expected to act as multipliers sharing best practices and lending peer-to-peer support.

Eligibility Criteria

The selection of candidates is based on the criteria of gender balance and aims at representing a broad spectrum of human rights issues and geographical areas in line with the political priorities of the European Parliament.

Candidates should have a proven record in campaigning for human rights in an NGO or other organisation or in an individual capacity.
They must have a high level of English, sufficient to follow and contribute actively to the programme.

The Fellowship covers return travel from the country of residence, accommodation during the programme and a daily living allowance.

Successful candidates will receive confirmation by email, latest by 9 March 2026. Given the high number of applications, unsuccessful candidates cannot be informed of the reasons why they were not shortlisted or offered a fellowship.

Sakharov Fellowship programme

Under the Sakharov Fellowship training programme human rights defenders will enhance their knowledge of EU and international human rights frameworks, policies and mechanisms and develop their capacities to advocate for and effect positive change to protect human rights. Beyond the training, the Sakharov fellows are expected to act as multipliers sharing best practices and lending peer-to-peer support. As part of the Sakharov Community, the fellows have the opportunity to maintain links with the work of the European Parliament and will continue liaising with EU Delegations in their respective countries.

Training at the Global Campus of Human Rights in Venice combines academic teaching on international human rights law, instruments and mechanisms with human rights practitioners sharing tools for improving the work of human rights defenders in the field. The Brussels programme offers an induction to EU policies and mechanisms in support of human rights defenders and provides first-hand insight in the human rights work of the European Parliament. It includes meetings with Members of Parliament, officials of the EU institutions, the Brussels-based human rights community, and workshops with expert trainers. The Fellows will also have space for individual advocacy, networking and communication activities.