Tamil-origin South African Navanethem 'Navi' Pillay wins Nobel Peace 2026

The Norwegian Nobel Committee has decided to award the Nobel Peace Prize for 2026 to Indian Tamil-origin South African Navanethem 'Navi' Pillay for her efforts to promote peace and international law. This year marks the 125th anniversary of the peace prize.

A Committee press release said Pillay has been instrumental in "ensuring that war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide are prosecuted".

"Navi Pillay’s commitment to universal legal principles and her firm moral compass are constants in a long career. Born into a family of Indian Tamil origin under apartheid in Durban, South Africa, Pillay became a lawyer and legal pioneer, confronting deep structural discrimination, segregation and exclusion. A common thread runs from her early work defending Nelson Mandela and others who stood up against apartheid to her service as a judge in some of the key international court cases of our time," the release added.

Accomplished career

Pillay has significantly enlarged the scope and impact of international law, it said, adding that she has served as a judge on the High Court in South Africa, the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda and the International Criminal Court.

"She was the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and, until recently, she chaired the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory. Today Navi Pillay is a judge on the International Court of Justice in the case where Myanmar stands accused of genocide," the press release said.

"In historic international court cases, she has shown that legal measures can help prevent acts of war and violence. Navi Pillay has also contributed to strengthen the institutions of international law. Her independence, expertise and steadfastness have made her one of the most respected international jurists of our time."