Navi Pillay wins Nobel Peace Prize for work in international justice
South African jurist Navanethem “Navi” Pillay has won the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize. The Norwegian Nobel Committee announced on October 9 that it was honouring her efforts to promote peace and international law.
Pillay was born in Durban in 1940 to parents of Tamil descent. After studying law at the University of Natal, she established her own practice and defended anti-apartheid activists. She later became the first woman of colour to serve on South Africa's High Court.
Her international career has focused on accountability for genocide and war crimes. She presided over the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, which prosecuted crimes committed during the 1994 genocide. She served as UN high commissioner for human rights from 2008 to 2014.
The Nobel committee highlighted her contribution to international justice, professional integrity and courage. It singled out work that helped establish rape and sexual violence as crimes against humanity and as acts of genocide.
In recent years, Pillay chaired the independent UN commission of inquiry on the occupied Palestinian territory. In 2025, that commission concluded that Israel was committing genocide in Gaza. This was the commission's finding, rather than a judgment by an international court.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa welcomed the award as recognition of Pillay's lifelong commitment to justice. Pillay said she would dedicate the prize to all survivors of international crimes and called for the defence of the rule of law and independent courts.
