- WEB DESK
- October 9, 2026
South African jurist Navi Pillay wins 2026 Nobel Peace Prize
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- WEB DESK
- October 9, 2026
South African jurist Navanethem “Navi” Pillay won the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize on Friday for her efforts to promote peace and international law, with the Norwegian Nobel Committee praising her role in advancing accountability for war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide.
Announcing the award in Oslo, committee chair Jørgen Watne Frydnes said Pillay had been instrumental in ensuring that serious international crimes were prosecuted.
The committee said Pillay had demonstrated exceptional courage and integrity in advancing a more comprehensive global legal order.
Long career in international justice
Pillay has served as a judge on South Africa’s High Court, the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda and the International Criminal Court (ICC). She also served as the United Nations high commissioner for human rights.
Until recently, she chaired the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory. She is also a judge at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in a case in which Myanmar stands accused of genocide, according to the Nobel committee.
According to The Guardian, Frydnes said Pillay’s work in landmark international cases had demonstrated how legal measures could help prevent war and violence.
The committee also praised her independence, expertise and steadfastness, describing her as one of the most respected international jurists of her time.
From apartheid-era South Africa to international courts
Born in Durban, South Africa, into a family of Indian Tamil origin during apartheid, Pillay became a lawyer and legal pioneer who challenged structural discrimination, segregation and exclusion.
The committee highlighted a longstanding commitment to universal legal principles throughout her career, from her early work defending Nelson Mandela and others who opposed apartheid to her service as a judge in major international cases.
The award recognises Pillay’s efforts to strengthen international legal institutions and advance accountability for serious violations of international law.
