Oslo: South African jurist Navanethem “Navi” Pillay won the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize on Friday for her efforts to promote peace and international law, the Norwegian Nobel Committee said.
The committee praised her courage and integrity, highlighting her contribution to the prosecution of war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide. It said her work had held states and national leaders accountable while bringing hope to victims of violence and conflict.
Pillay’s career began under apartheid, South Africa’s former system of legally enforced racial segregation. She represented opponents of the system and later became the first woman of colour to serve as a judge on the country’s High Court.
She subsequently served at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, established to prosecute those responsible for the 1994 genocide, including four years as its president. She also served as a judge at the International Criminal Court (ICC), which prosecutes individuals accused of the gravest international crimes.
From 2008 to 2014, Pillay was the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, leading the organisation’s human rights office.
More recently, she chaired the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and Israel.
In September 2025, the commission concluded that Israel had committed genocide against Palestinians in Gaza. Israel rejected the report. The commission’s findings were those of an investigative body, rather than a court judgment.
The Nobel award recognises Pillay’s broader career in human rights and international accountability.
The prize carries 12 million Swedish kronor, approximately USD 1.2 million, and will be presented in Oslo on December 10, the anniversary of Nobel founder Alfred Nobel’s death.
