Indian-origin jurist Navanethem 'Navi' Pillay wins 2026 Nobel Peace Prize

Navanethem 'Navi' Pillay, a South African jurist of Indian origin, was awarded the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize on Friday for her efforts to promote peace and international law.

The Norwegian Nobel Committee honoured Pillay for her work strengthening international legal institutions and holding states and political leaders accountable for violations of international law.

Born into a family of Indian origin under apartheid in Durban, South Africa, Pillay began her career as a lawyer confronting racial discrimination and segregation. Her early work included defending Nelson Mandela and others who opposed apartheid, before she went on to serve in senior judicial and international human rights roles.

Pillay has served as a judge on South Africa’s High Court and the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, as well as 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.

She is currently a judge at the International Court of Justice in a case in which Myanmar faces accusations of genocide.

“In historic international court cases, she has shown that legal measures can help prevent acts of war and violence... Her independence, expertise and steadfastness have made her one of the most respected international jurists of our time,” the committee said.

About Nobel Peace Prize

The Nobel Peace Prize is awarded annually by the Norwegian Nobel Committee under the terms of Alfred Nobel’s will.

The committee said the 2026 prize, awarded 125 years after the first Nobel Peace Prize, recognised the role of international law in securing lasting peace.

A total of 287 candidates, including 208 individuals and 79 organisations, were nominated for this year’s prize, according to the Norwegian Nobel Institute.

The number was lower than the 338 candidates nominated for the 2025 prize and close to the 286 recorded in 2024. The highest number of nominees was 376 in 2016.

The committee does not disclose the names of nominees, and nomination records remain confidential for 50 years.

The Nobel Peace Prize is presented in Oslo, unlike the other Nobel Prizes, which are awarded in Stockholm.