The Norwegian Nobel Committee announced on Friday that South African judge Navanethem “Navi” Pillay had been awarded the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize for her efforts to promote peace and international law.
In a statement, the committee said Pillay had played a prominent role in advancing international law and ensuring that perpetrators of war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide are prosecuted, praising her courage, integrity and commitment to universal legal principles.
It added that her career began with defending Nelson Mandela and others who fought against apartheid in South Africa before she went on to hold prominent judicial positions at national and international levels.
Pillay served as a judge on South Africaآ’s High Court, the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda and the International Criminal Court. She also served as the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and, until recently, chaired the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory.
Pillay currently serves as a judge at the International Court of Justice in the case in which Myanmar faces accusations of genocide.
The committee noted that Pillay had helped advance international law, particularly by establishing that rape and sexual violence could constitute crimes against humanity and acts of genocide, as well as setting a legal precedent on incitement to genocide through propaganda.
It stressed that international law was fundamental to achieving lasting peace and resolving conflicts peacefully, warning of growing pressure on international legal institutions and declining respect for legal frameworks in favour of power politics.
The committee said the award highlighted the importance of the rule of law, both nationally and internationally, as a cornerstone of conflict prevention, justice and peaceful coexistence among nations and peoples. The Nobel Peace Prize is worth 11 million Swedish kronor and will be presented in Oslo on December 10.
