Former United Nations human rights chief and International Court of Justice judge Navanethem “Navi” Pillay has won the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize for her contributions to international law. The Norwegian Nobel Committee announced the award on Friday in Oslo, Norway, recognising the 85-year-old South African-born jurist for her work promoting……
Former United Nations human rights chief and International Court of Justice judge Navanethem “Navi” Pillay has won the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize for her contributions to international law.
The Norwegian Nobel Committee announced the award on Friday in Oslo, Norway, recognising the 85-year-old South African-born jurist for her work promoting peace and accountability under international law.
Announcing the laureate, the committee said the award was intended to highlight the importance of international legal institutions at a time when conflicts are increasing and the rule of law faces growing pressure.
“At a time when the number of wars and conflicts is rising, and when judges and institutions of international law are under political attack, the Nobel Committee wishes to issue a reminder that the ability to resolve conflicts without force or violence is dependent on the international rule of law,” the committee said in a statement.
It added: “An international legal system in which war criminals are held to account and the victims of abuse see justice served is a precondition for a peaceful world.”
Pillay’s award comes amid heightened global attention on international justice and efforts to hold perpetrators of serious human rights abuses accountable.
The committee received nominations for 287 individuals and organisations for this year’s prize, with organisations accounting for just over a quarter of the nominees.
Under Nobel rules, the identities of nominees remain confidential for 50 years.
Last year, Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado won the Nobel Peace Prize for her efforts to secure a democratic transition in Venezuela. She was praised as a woman “who keeps the flame of democracy burning amid a growing darkness”.
Machado later presented her Nobel medal to United States President Donald Trump following the US ousting of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. The gesture was symbolic, as the Nobel Committee has maintained that the award itself cannot be transferred.
Pillay’s announcement follows the unveiling of this year’s Nobel laureates in medicine, physics, chemistry and literature earlier in the week.
The literature prize was awarded to Canadian poet, essayist and translator Anne Carson on Thursday for her “bold and inventive” works that combine classical and modern influences while blurring the boundaries between poetry and prose.
The Nobel Peace Prize carries an award of 12 million Swedish kronor, equivalent to about $1.2 million, whether awarded to an individual, a group or an organisation.
This year marks the 125th anniversary of the prize, first awarded in 1901.
Since its inception, the Peace Prize has been awarded to 112 individuals and 28 organisations, including the Red Cross, which has received it three times, and the United Nations refugee agency, which has won twice.
