The EU Parliament’s Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought is a prestigious award; it was famously given to Saudi blogger Raif Badawi in 2015, and jointly in 2023 to Mahsa Jina Amini (1999–2022) and Woman, Life, Freedom movement (founded in 2022) and all Women in Iran.

The Sakharov Fellowship (run by the European Parliament) offers an intensive two-week training in Europe for ~14 non-EU human rights defenders annually (europarl.europa.eu). Fellows (including those from Gulf countries) learn about EU human rights mechanisms, meet policymakers, and network with other defenders. Travel, accommodation and a living stipend are covered, making it accessible.