South African human rights advocate Navi Pillay wins 2026 Nobel Peace Prize

South African human rights lawyer and former United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, has won the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize for her contributions to international justice and human rights.

According to CNN, the Norwegian Nobel Committee announced the award on Friday, recognising Pillay’s decades of work defending human dignity and international law.

The 85-year-old jurist previously served as a judge at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda and the International Criminal Court.

She also chaired a UN commission that concluded Israel committed genocide against Palestinians in Gaza, allegations Israel has rejected.

Announcing the award, Nobel Committee chairman Jørgen Watne Frydnes warned that international law was “under tremendous pressure, and its institutions are under attack.”

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa congratulated Pillay, praising her commitment to justice.

Pillay, who fought apartheid in South Africa, joins Nelson Mandela, Desmond Tutu and Albert Luthuli among the country’s Nobel Peace Prize laureates.