Former International Criminal Court judge Navi Pillay won the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize on Friday, October 9, for her efforts to promote peace and international law.
The Norwegian Nobel Committee recognised the South African jurist’s courage, integrity and decades of work defending human rights and pursuing accountability for serious abuses.
Pillay, 85, received the news at a forum in Nuremberg, Germany, where participants gave her a standing ovation. The city hosted the historic trials of Nazi leaders after the Second World War.
Responding to the honor, Pillay said political leaders have a “legal obligation to protect human rights and refrain from war.”
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa congratulated her on behalf of the nation. The UN human rights office also welcomed the award, recognizing her longstanding advocacy.
Her career began under apartheid, defending activists against South Africa’s discriminatory system. She later served as an ICC judge and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.
In 1998, Pillay helped convict Rwandan former mayor Jean-Paul Akayesu. The landmark judgment established that rape could constitute genocide when committed with the intent to destroy a protected group.
More recently, a UN commission she chaired concluded that Israel had committed genocide in Gaza. Israel rejected those findings and criticised the Nobel decision, highlighting the political divisions surrounding her work.
