Navanethem “Navi” Pillay, a South African jurist of Indian origin, has won the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize for her work promoting peace and international law.
Born in Durban, South Africa, in 1941, Pillay grew up in a poor family during the country’s apartheid era, when racial discrimination was enforced by law. She studied law at the University of Natal and later earned advanced law degrees from Harvard University.
In 1967, she became the first woman to establish a law practice in Natal. She later became the first Black woman to serve as a judge of South Africa’s High Court.
Pillay gained international recognition through her work at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda. In 1998, she was part of the tribunal that delivered a landmark judgment against former Rwandan mayor Jean-Paul Akayesu.
She later served as a judge of the International Criminal Court. From 2008 to 2014, she led the United Nations human rights office as High Commissioner for Human Rights.
Her career focused on fighting discrimination, protecting vulnerable communities and holding people accountable for serious human rights violations.
The Nobel Committee recognised her contribution to peace and international law.
