Navanethem “Navi” Pillay, a South African jurist of Indian Tamil origin and former United Nations human rights chief, has been awarded the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize for her efforts to advance international law and promote peace.
Jorgen Watne Frydnes, chairman of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, announced the award, highlighting Pillay’s contributions to justice and accountability. He described her work as a source of hope and inspiration for people working toward a more peaceful world.
Frydnes said the committee had not yet been able to contact Pillay to inform her of the award.
In its announcement, the committee pointed to the growing number of wars and conflicts and the mounting political pressure on judges and international legal institutions.
BREAKING NEWS
The Norwegian Nobel Committee has decided to award the 2026 #NobelPeacePrize to Navanethem “Navi” Pillay for her efforts to promote peace and international law.#NobelPrize https://t.co/97vurspw6z
— The Nobel Prize (@NobelPrize) October 9, 2026
It said resolving disputes without resorting to force or violence depended on respect for the international rule of law. Holding war criminals accountable and ensuring justice for victims of abuses were essential to building a peaceful world, it added.
Pillay, 85, has held several prominent positions in international law. She served as the UN high commissioner for human rights from 2008 to 2014, presided over the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda and served as a judge at the International Court of Justice.
She also made history in South Africa by becoming the first non-white woman appointed as a judge of the country’s High Court.
Born in 1941 in a poor neighbourhood of Durban, then part of Natal Province, Pillay is the daughter of Narrainsamy Naidoo and Santhama Naidoo. Her grandparents migrated from India in the 1890s as indentured labourers and worked on sugar plantations in South Africa.
Her recognition comes as international institutions face increasing scrutiny over their ability to enforce legal standards and hold those responsible for serious violations accountable.
The 2026 award marks the 125th anniversary of the Nobel Peace Prize. The Norwegian Nobel Committee, based in Oslo, received 287 nominations for this year’s honour, including just over a quarter for organisations.
The prize recognises contributions to peace, international cooperation and efforts to strengthen institutions that help prevent and resolve conflicts.
Last year’s Nobel Peace Prize went to Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado for her campaign for a democratic transition in Venezuela. The committee praised her for keeping the cause of democracy alive amid mounting political challenges.
Machado later presented her Nobel medal to US President Donald Trump following the removal of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro by the United States. However, the gesture did not transfer the award itself, as the Nobel Committee has maintained that the honour cannot be transferred to another person.
