South African born lawyer Navi Pillay has been awarded the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize for her work in protecting human rights and pushing for those responsible for serious crimes to face justice.

Born in Durban to a family of Indian Tamil origin, Pillay grew up during apartheid, when racial discrimination shaped the lives of millions of South Africans. She chose a career in law at a time when challenging injustice required courage, and went on to become one of the country’s most prominent legal figures on the international stage.

Her early career included defending Nelson Mandela and others who stood against apartheid. The experience helped shape a career that would later take her into some of the world’s most important courts, where she worked on cases involving war crimes, genocide and crimes against humanity.

Pillay served as a judge on South Africa’s High Court before joining the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda. She later served at the International Criminal Court and became the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.
Her work at the Rwanda tribunal was particularly significant. She contributed to legal developments recognising rape and sexual violence as possible acts of genocide and crimes against humanity.

The tribunal also helped establish that people could be held accountable for encouraging genocide through public statements and propaganda. Over the years, Pillay has worked on cases involving some of the world’s most serious human rights violations. She also chaired a United Nations commission investigating the situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and serves as a judge at the International Court of Justice in the case in which Myanmar faces accusations of genocide.

The Norwegian Nobel Committee said Pillay’s career demonstrates why the rule of law matters in preventing conflict and resolving disputes peacefully. It also raised concern about pressure on international courts and judges who work to uphold legal principles.