Navi Pillay, an 85-year-old South African jurist, was awarded the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize on Friday, October 9, in recognition for her efforts to promote peace and international law. The Norwegian Nobel Committee said it recognised her contribution to the development of a stronger international legal order. But who is the woman behind the recognition? From defending anti-apartheid activists in South Africa to helping shape international justice after the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda, Navi Pillay has spent decades working to establish that even the most powerful individuals can be held accountable under the law. ALSO READ: South African lawyer Navi Pillay wins 2026 Nobel Peace Prize Born Navanethem Pillay in Durban in 1941, she grew up in a family of Indian Tamil origin during apartheid, when racial discrimination restricted the rights and opportunities of non-white South Africans. Her experience of growing up under the system helped shape a career focused on challenging discrimination and defending people whose rights had been violated. In 1967, Pillay became the first woman to establish a law practice in Natal, now KwaZulu-Natal. She defended anti-apartheid activists, exposed abuses against detainees and worked to protect the rights of political prisoners. After apartheid ended, she broke another barrier in 1995 when she became the first non-white woman appointed to South Africa’s High Court. That same year, she joined the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR), which was established to prosecute those responsible for genocide and other serious crimes committed in Rwanda in 1994. Pillay’s work at the ICTR became one of the defining chapters of her career. She served as a judge and later as the tribunal’s president from 1999 to 2003. Among the landmark cases she helped adjudicate was the trial of Jean-Paul Akayesu, the former mayor of Taba commune. In 1998, the tribunal delivered its judgment in the Akayesu case, establishing a historic precedent by recognising that rape and sexual violence could constitute acts of genocide when committed with the requisite intent to destroy a protected group. The ruling helped expand the understanding of sexual violence in international criminal law and strengthened the legal recognition of crimes committed against women during genocide. Her experience at the tribunal helped establish her reputation as a jurist working at the intersection of human rights, accountability and international justice. Pillay subsequently served as a judge at the International Criminal Court (ICC), which prosecutes individuals accused of genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity and the crime of aggression under its jurisdiction. From international courts to the United Nations In 2008, Pillay became the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, a position she held until 2014. In that role, she advocated for the protection of fundamental rights, accountability for abuses and stronger international mechanisms to prevent atrocities. Her work also extended to investigations into conflicts and alleged violations of international law. From 2021 to 2025, she chaired the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory. Pillay has also served as an ad hoc judge at the International Court of Justice in proceedings concerning allegations of genocide against Myanmar’s Rohingya population. The 2026 Nobel Peace Prize will be presented in Oslo on December 10.
