Pillay was awarded the prize for her efforts to promote peace and international law.
Former UN rights chief Navi Pillay poses during a photo session in Johannesburg on 20 January 2023. Picture: Wikus de Wet / AFP
South African jurist, human rights lawyer and former United Nations (UN) High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay has won the Nobel Peace Prize.
The Norwegian Nobel Committee made the announcement on Friday, 9 October 2026.
“The Norwegian Nobel Committee has decided to award the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize to Navanethem ‘Navi’ Pillay for her efforts to promote peace and international law,” the committee said.
Pillay joins an illustrious group of luminaries who have previously received the prize, including thelate former president Nelson Mandela, FW de Klerk and Archbishop Desmond Tutu.
Legal principles
The committee said Pillay’s commitment to universal legal principles and her firm moral compass have remained constant throughout her long career.
Born into a family of Indian Tamil origin under apartheid in Durban, Pillay became a lawyer and legal pioneer, confronting deep structural discrimination, segregation, and exclusion.
“A common thread runs from her early work defending Nelson Mandela and others who stood up against apartheid to her service as a judge in some of the key international court cases of our time,” the Nobel Committee said.
The committee said in historic international court cases, Pillay has shown that legal measures can help prevent acts of war and violence.
“Navi Pillay has also contributed to strengthening the institutions of international law. Her independence, expertise and steadfastness have made her one of the most respected international jurists of our time.”
Career
Pillay has served as a judge on the High Court in South Africa, the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, and the International Criminal Court. She was the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and, until recently, she chaired the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory.
Today, Pillay is a judge on the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in the case in which Myanmar stands accused of genocide.
Donald Trump
The prize, the ultimate diplomatic and humanitarian accolade, will surely irk US President Donald Trump, whose administration has repeatedly attacked international justice institutions.
Since returning to the White House in January 2025, Trump has made no secret of his desire to win the prize.
When Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado won the Nobel Peace Prize in October, she immediately dedicated the award to Trump.
